COMPILED  BY 

GRENVILtE  KLEISER 


The  World's  Great  Sermons 

VOLUME  I 
BASIL  TO   CALVIN 


THE. 

WORLD'5 

GRLAT 

5LRMON5 


COMPILED   BY 

GRLNVILLL   KLLISLR 

Formerly   of  Yale  Divinity  School  Faculty; 

Author  of  "  How  to  Speak 

in  Public,"  Lfc. 

With  Assistance  from  Many  of  the  Foremost 
Living  Preachers  and  Other  Theologians 

INTRODUCTION  BY 

LLWI5  O.  BRA5TOW,  D.D. 

Professor  Emeritus  of  Practical  Theology 
in  Yale  University 

IN  TEN  VOLUMES 
VOLUMF.  1-BASIL  TO  CAl  VIN 


FUNK  &  WAGNALL5  COMPANY 
NLW  YORK  and  LONDON 


COPYRIGHT,  1908,  BY 
FUNK  &  WAGNALLS    COMPANY 

Printed   in   the    United   States   of  America 


PREFACE 


THE  aim  in  preparing  this  work  has  been 
to  bring  together  the  best  examples  of 
the  products  of  the  pulpit  through  the  Chris- 
tian centuries,  and  to  present  these  master- 
pieces in  attractive  and  convenient  form.  It 
is  believed  that  they  will  be  found  valuable 
as  instruction  to  ministers  of  to-day.  They 
should  also  be  helpful  to  others  who,  tho  not 
preachers,  yet  seek  reading  of  this  kind  for 
the  upbuilding  of  personal  character  and  for 
strengthening  their  Christian  faith. 

The  sermons  have  been  chosen  in  some  cases 
for  their  literary  and  rhetorical  excellences, 
but  in  every  case  for  their  helpfulness  in 
solving  some  of  the  problems  of  Christian 
living.  No  two  persons  are  likely  to  agree 
upon  "the  best"  of  anything,  and  readers  will 
probably  wish  in  particular  instances  that 

2064856 


PREFACE 

some  other  clergymen  or  sermons  had  been  in- 
cluded. It  is  confidently  believed,  however, 
that  the  list  here  given  is  fairly  representative 
of  the  preaching  that  characterized  the  age  to 
which  each  sermon  respectively  belongs. 

While  some  of  the  sermons  of  the  early 
centuries  may  not  seem  exactly  fitted  to 
modern  needs,  it  is  thought  that  those  pre- 
sented will  repay  careful  perusal,  since  they 
each  contain  a  distinct  message  for  later 
generations.  Moreover,  a  comparison  extend- 
ing over  the  whole  field  of  sermonic  literature, 
such  as  the  preacher  may  make  with  this 
collection  before  him,  should  prove  most  valua- 
ble as  showing  what  progress  and  changes 
have  come  over  homiletic  matter  and  methods. 
Such  a  comparison  should  in  fact  throw  much 
light  on  the  spirit  and  conditions  of  various 
iomiletic  periods. 

In  choosing  sermons  by  living  preachers 
considerable  difficulty  has  been  found,  not 
only  in  deciding  upon  sermons,  but  upon 
preachers.  The  list  might  have  been  extended 


PREFACE 

indefinitely.  Whenever  possible  the  preacher, 
when  living,  has  himself  been  consulted  as  to 
what  he  considered  his  most  representative 
sermon. 

Thanks  are  due,  and  are  hereby  acknowl- 
edged, to  numerous  clergymen,  publishers, 
librarians,  and  others  who  have  generously  as- 
sisted the  compiler  in  this  undertaking.  Most 
grateful  acknowledgment  is  also  made  to  the 
Rev.  Epiphanius  "Wilson  and  the  Rev.  W.  C. 
Stiles  for  valuable  editorial  assistance. 

GRENVILLE  KLEISEE. 
New  York  City,  October,  1908. 


vii 


INTRODUCTION 


COLLECTIONS  of  sermons  by  noted  preach- 
ers of  different  periods  are  not  an 
altogether  uncommon  contribution  to  lit- 
erature. Italy,  Germany,  Holland,  France, 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  have 
in  this  way  furnished  copious  illustrations  of 
the  gifts  of  their  illustrious  preachers.  Such 
treasures  are  found  in  the  Latin  and  even 
in  the  Greek  Church.  Protestant  commu- 
nions especially,  in  line  with  the  supreme  sig- 
nificance which  they  attach  to  the  work  of 
the  pulpit,  have  thus  sought  to  magnify  the 
calling  and  to  perpetuate  the  memory  and 
the  influence  of  their  distinguished  sons.  Still 
more  comprehensive  attempts  have  been  made 
to  collate  the  products  of  representative 
preachers  in  different  Protestant  communions, 
and  thus  to  bring  into  prominence  various 
types  of  sermonic  literature.  It  is  in  this 
ix 


INTRODUCTION 


way  that  the  Christian  world  has  come  to 
know  its  pulpit  princes  and  to  value  their 
achievements. 

The  collection  contained  in  the  volumes 
before  us  is,  however,  more  varied  and 
comprehensive,  reaching  as  it  does  from 
the  fourth  to  the  twentieth  century,  than 
any  collection  known  to  the  writer.  In  the 
selection  Professor  Kleiser  has  brought  to  his 
task  a  personal  knowledge  of  homiletic  liter- 
ature that  is  the  product  of  much  observation 
and  study  during  many  years,  and  an  enthu- 
siasm for  his  work  that  has  been  fostered  by 
close  intercourse  in  professional  service  with 
preachers  and  theological  students.  He  has 
had  the  assistance  also  of  men  whose  acquaint- 
ance with  homiletic  literature  is  very  exten- 
sive, whose  critical  judgments  are  sound  and 
reliable  and  who  may  be  regarded  as  experts 
in  this  branch  of  knowledge.  These  volumes, 
therefore,  may  be  accepted  as  a  judiciously 
selected  collection  of  sermons  by  many  of  the 
most  notable  preachers  of  the  ancient  and 


INTRODUCTION 


modern  Christian  world.  Their  value  as  illus- 
trating varieties  of  gift,  diversities  of  method, 
racial,  national  and  ecclesiastical  peculiarities, 
and  above  all  progress  in  the  science  and  art 
of  preaching,  may  well  be  recognized  even  by 
a  generation  that  is  likely  to  regard  anything 
that  is  more  than  twenty-four  hours  old  as 
obsolete. 

LEWIS  0.  BEASTOW. 

Yale  University,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  October,  1908. 


CONTENTS 


VOLUME   I 

Page 

PREFACE    v 

INTRODUCTION ix 

BASIL  (329—379). 

The  Creation  of  the  World      ...         1 

CHRYSOSTOM  (347 — 407). 

Excessive    Grief    at    the    Death    of 
Friends 23 

AUGUSTINE  (354 — 430). 

The  Recovery  of  Sight  by  the  Blind  .       47 

WYCLIF  (1324—1384). 

Christ's  Real  Body  Not  in  the  Eu- 
charist        73 

SAVONAROLA  ( 1452—1498 ) . 

The  Ascension  of  Christ     ....       91 

LUTHER  (1483—1546). 

The   Method   and   Fruits    of   Justifi- 
cation         113 

LATIMER  (1485 — 1555). 

On  Christian  Love  ......     145 

MELANCHTHON  (1497 — 1560). 

The  Safety  of  the  Virtuous     ...     159 

KNOX  (1505—1572). 

The  First  Temptation  of  Christ     .      .     171 

CALVIN  (1509—1564). 

Enduring  Persecution  for  Christ  .      .     203 

xiii 


BASIL 
THE   CREATION    OF  THE  WORLD 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTE 

BASIL,  bishop  of  Caesarea  in  Cappadocia, 
and  styled  "The  Great,"  was  the  founder 
of  Eastern  monasticism,  defender  of  the 
Nicene  doctrines  and  doctor  of  the 
Church.  He  was  born  at  Caesarea  in  329, 
and  was  thoroughly  educated  in  all  that 
a  teacher  like  Libanius  could  impart  at 
Rome,  and  Himerius  at  Constantinople. 
Returning  home,  he  plunged  into  the 
pleasures  of  social  life,  but  was  induced 
by  his  sister  to  visit  the  hermits  of  Syria, 
Palestine  and  Egypt.  Attracted  during 
his  travels  to  the  religious  life,  he  se- 
cluded himself  in  a  lonely  spot  in  incle- 
ment Pontus. 

During  his  monastic  life  of  seven  years 
(357-364)  he  formulated  the  monastic 
rule  still  observed  by  Eastern  monks. 
Ordained  presbyter  in  364,  he  labored  in 
founding  religious  institutions  of  various 
kinds.  He  attracted  notice  by  his  grow- 
ing Nicene  predilections,  and  was  elected 
bishop  of  his  native  town  (370)  and  vir- 
tual primate  of  Asia  Minor.  His  conduct 
in  dealing  with  the  Arians  was  uncom- 
promising yet  conciliating.  As  a  theolo- 
gian he  stands  next  to  his  brother  Greg- 
ory and  to  Athanasius,  but  he  excels 
them  both  in  the  literary  charm  and  va- 
riety of  his  Greek  style.  He  died  in  379. 


BASIL 

329—379 
THE   CREATION    OF  THE  WORLD 

The  earth  was  without  form  and  void. — Gen.  L,  2. 

IN  the  few  words  which  have  occupied  us 
this  morning  we  have  found  such  a  depth 
of  thought  that  we  despair  of  penetrating 
farther.  If  such  is  the  forecourt  of  the 
sanctuary,  if  the  portico  of  the  temple  is  so 
grand  and  magnificent,  if  the  splendor  of  its 
beauty  thus  dazzles  the  eyes  of  the  soul,  what 
will  be  the  holy  of  holies?  Who  will  dare  to 
try  to  gain  access  to  the  innermost  shrine? 
Who  will  look  into  its  secrets?  To  gaze  into 
it  is  indeed  forbidden  us,  and  language  is 
powerless  to  express  what  the  mind  conceives. 

However,  since  there  are  rewards,  and  most 
desirable  ones,  reserved  by  the  just  Judge  for 
the  intention  alone  of  doing  good,  do  not  let 
us  hesitate  to  continue  our  researches.  Altho 
we  may  not  attain  to  the  truth,  if,  with  the 
help  of  the  Spirit,  we  do  not  fall  away  from 
the  meaning  of  Holy  Scripture,  we  shall  not 
deserve  to  be  rejected,  and  with  the  help  of 
grace,  we  shall  contribute  to  the  edification 
of  the  Church  of  God. 

"The  earth,"  says  Holy  Scripture,  "was 
without  form  and  void" — i.e.,  invisible  and 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

unfinished.  The  heavens  and  the  earth  were 
created  together.  How,  then,  is  it  that  the 
heavens  are  perfect  whilst  the  earth  is  still 
unformed  and  incomplete?  In  one  word, 
what  was  the  unfinished  condition  of  the 
earth  and  for  what  reason  was  it  invisible? 
The  fertility  of  the  earth  is  its  perfect  finish- 
ing; growth  of  all  kinds  of  plants,  the  up- 
springing  of  tall  trees,  both  productive  and 
unfruitful,  flowers'  sweet  scents  and  fair 
colors,  and  all  that  which,  a  little  later,  at 
the  voice  of  God  came  forth  from  the  earth 
to  beautify  her,  their  universal  mother. 

As  nothing  of  all  this  yet  existed,  Scripture 
is  right  in  calling  the  earth  " without  form." 
We  could  also  say  of  the  heavens  that  they 
were  still  imperfect  and  had  not  received 
their  natural  adornment,  since  at  that  time 
they  did  not  shine  with  the  glory  of  the  sun 
and  of  the  moon,  and  were  not  crowned  by 
the  choirs  of  the  stars.  These  bodies  were  not 
yet  created.  Thus  you  will  not  diverge  from 
the  truth  in  saying  that  the  heavens  also  were 
''without  form."  The  earth  was  invisible 
for  two  reasons:  it  may  be  because  man,  the 
spectator,  did  not  yet  exist,  or  because,  being 
submerged  under  the  waters  which  overflowed 
the  surface,  it  could  not  be  seen,  since  the 
waters  had  not  yet  been  gathered  together 
into  their  own  places,  where  God  afterward 
collected  them  and  gave  them  the  name  of  sea. 

What  is  invisible?    First  of  all,  that  which 


BASIL 

our  fleshly  eye  can  not  perceive — our  mind, 
for  example;  then  that  which,  visible  in  its 
nature,  is  hidden  by  some  body  which  con- 
ceals it,  like  iron  in  the  depths  of  the  earth. 
It  is  in  this  sense  that  the  earth,  in  that  it 
was  hidden  under  the  waters,  was  still  in- 
visible. However,  as  light  did  not  yet  exist, 
and  as  the  earth  lay  in  darkness  because  of 
the  obscurity  of  the  air  above  it,  it  should 
not  astonish  us  that  for  this  reason  Scripture 
calls  it  "invisible." 

But  the  corrupters  of  the  truth,  who,  in- 
capable of  submitting  their  reason  to  Holy 
Scripture,  distort  at  will  the  meaning  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  pretend  that  these  words 
mean  matter.  For  it  is  matter,  they  say, 
which  from  its  nature  is  without  form  and  in- 
visible— being  by  the  conditions  of  its  exist- 
ence without  quality  and  without  form  and 
figure.  The  Artificer  submitting  it  to  the 
working  of  His  wisdom  clothed  it  with  a  form, 
organized  it,  and  thus  gave  being  to  the  visi- 
ble world. 

If  the  matter  is  uncreated,  it  has  a  claim 
to  the  same  honors  as  God,  since  it  must  be 
of  equal  rank  with  Him.  Is  this  not  the  sum- 
mit of  wickedness  that  utter  chaos,  without 
quality,  without  form  or  shape,  ugliness  with- 
out configuration,  to  use  their  own  expression, 
should  enjoy  the  same  prerogatives  as  He  who 
is  wisdom,  power,  and  beauty  itself,  the 
Creator  and  the  Demiurge  of  the  universe 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

enjoys?  This  is  not  all.  If  the  matter  is  so 
great  as  to  be  capable  of  being  acted  on  by 
the  whole  wisdom  of  God,  it  would  in  a  way 
raise  its  hypostasis  to  an  equality  with  the 
inaccessible  power  of  God,  since  it  would  be 
able  to  measure  by  itself  all  the  extent  of  the 
divine  intelligence. 

If  it  is  insufficient  for  the  operations  of 
God,  then  we  fall  into  a  more  absurd  blas- 
phemy, since  we  condemn  God  for  not  being 
able,  on  account  of  the  want  of  matter,  to 
finish  His  own  works.  The  resourcelessness 
of  human  nature  has  deceived  these  reasoners. 
Each  of  our  crafts  is  exercised  upon  some 
special  matter — the  art  of  the  smith  upon 
iron,  that  of  the  carpenter  on  wood.  In  all 
there  is  the  subject,  the  form  and  the  work 
which  results  from  the  form.  Matter  is  taken 
from  without — art  gives  the  form — and  the 
work  is  composed  at  the  same  time  of  form 
and  of  matter. 

Such  is  the  idea  that  they  make  for  them- 
selves of  the  divine  work.  The  form  of  the 
world  is  due  to  the  wisdom  of  the  supreme 
Artificer;  matter  came  to  the  Creator  from 
without;  and  thus  the  world  results  from  a 
double  origin.  It  has  received  from  outside 
its  matter  and  its  essence,  and  from  God  its 
form  and  figure.  They  thus  come  to  deny 
that  the  mighty  God  has  presided  at  the 
formation  of  the  universe,  and  pretend  that 
he  has  only  brought  a  crowning  contribution 

6 


BASIL 

to  a  common  work;  that  he  has  only  con- 
tributed some  small  portion  to  the  genesis  of 
beings;  they  are  incapable,  from  the  debase- 
ment of  their  reasonings,  of  raising  their 
glances  to  the  height  of  truth.  Here,  below, 
arts  are  subsequent  to  matter — introduced 
into  life  by  the  indispensable  need  of  them. 
Wool  existed  before  weaving  made  it  supply 
one  of  nature's  imperfections.  Wood  existed 
before  carpentering  took  possession  of  it,  and 
transformed  it  each  day  to  supply  new  wants 
and  made  us  see  all  the  advantages  derived 
from  it,  giving  the  oar  to  the  sailor,  the  win- 
nowing-fan  to  the  laborer,  the  lance  to  the 
soldier. 

But  God,  before  ail  those  things  which  now 
attract  our  notice  existed,  after  casting  about 
in  His  mind  and  determining  to  bring  into 
being  that  which  had  no  being,  imagined  the 
world  such  as  it  ought  to  be,  and  created 
matter  in  harmony  with  the  form  which  He 
wished  to  give  it.  He  assigned  to  the  heavens 
the  nature  adapted  for  the  heavens,  and  gave 
to  the  earth  an  essence  in  accordance  with  its 
form.  He  formed,  as  he  wished,  fire,  air,  and 
water,  and  gave  to  each  the  essence  which  the 
object  of  its  existence  required. 

Finally  he  welded  all  the  diverse  parts  of 
the  universe  by  links  of  indissoluble  attach- 
ment and  established  between  them  so  perfect 
a  fellowship  and  harmony  that  the  most  dis- 
tant, in  spite  of  their  distance,  appeared 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

united  in  one  universal  sympathy.  Let  those 
men,  therefore,  renounce  their  fabulous  im- 
aginations, who  in  spite  of  the  weakness  of 
their  argument,  pretend  to  measure  a  power 
as  incomprehensible  to  man's  reason  as  it  is 
unutterable  by  man's  voice. 

God  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  but 
not  only  one-half  of  each;  He  created  all  the 
heavens  and  all  the  earth,  creating  the  essence 
with  the  form.  For  He  is  not  an  inventor 
of  figures,  but  the  Creator  even  of  the 
essence  of  beings.  Further,  let  them  tell  us 
how  the  efficient  power  of  God  could  deal  with 
the  passive  nature  of  matter,  the  latter  fur- 
nishing the  matter  without  form,  the  former 
possessing  the  science  of  the  form  without 
matter,  both  being  in  need  of  each  other;  the 
Creator  in  order  to  display  his  art,  matter  in 
order  to  cease  to  be  without  form  and  to  re- 
ceive a  form.  But  let  us  stop  here  and  return 
to  our  subject. 

"The  earth  was  invisible  and  unfinished." 
In  saying  "In  the  beginning  God  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth"  the  sacred  writer 
passed  over  many  things  in  silence — water, 
air,  fire,  and  the  results  from  them,  which, 
all  forming  in  reality  the  true  complement  of 
the  world,  were,  without  doubt  made  at  the 
same  time  as  the  universe.  By  this  silence 
history  wishes  to  train  the  activity  of  our  in- 
telligence, giving  it  a  weak  point  for  starting, 
to  impel  it  to  the  discovery  of  the  truth. 

8 


BASIL 

Thus,  we  are  told  of  the  creation  of  water; 
but,  as  we  are  told  that  the  earth  was  in- 
visible, ask  yourself  what  could  have  covered 
it  and  prevented  it  from  being  seen?  Fire 
could  not  conceal  it.  Fire  brightens  all  about 
it,  and  spreads  light  rather  than  darkness 
around.  No  more  was  it  air  that  enveloped 
the  earth.  Air  by  nature  is  of  little  density 
and  transparent.  It  receives  all  kinds  of  visi- 
ble objects  and  transmits  them  to  the  specta- 
tors. Only  one  supposition  remains:  that 
which  floated  on  the  surface  of  the  earth  was 
water,  the  fluid  essence  which  had  not  yet  been 
confined  to  its  own  place. 

Thus  the  earth  was  not  only  invisible;  it 
was  still  incomplete.  Even  to-day  excessive 
damp  is  a  hindrance  to  the  productiveness  of 
the  earth.  The  same  cause  at  the  same  time 
prevents  it  from  being  seen  and  from  being 
complete,  for  the  proper  and  natural  adorn- 
ment of  the  earth  is  its  completion :  corn  wa- 
ving in  the  valleys,  meadows  green  with  grass 
and  rich  with  many-colored  flowers,  fertile 
glades  and  hilltops  shaded  by  forests.  Of 
all  this  nothing  was  yet  produced;  the  earth 
was  in  travail  with  it  in  virtue  of  the  power 
that  she  had  received  from  the  Creator.  But 
she  was  waiting  for  the  appointed  time  and 
the  divine  order  to  bring  forth. 

"Darkness  was  upon  the  face  of  the  deep." 
A  new  source  for  fables  and  most  impious 
imaginations  may  be  found  by  distorting  the 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

sense  of  these  words  at  the  will  of  one's 
fancies.  By  "darkness"  these  wicked  men  do 
not  understand  what  is  meant  in  reality — 
air  not  illumined,  the  shadow  produced  by 
the  interposition  of  a  body,  or  finally  a  place 
for  some  reason  deprived  of  light.  For  them 
"darkness"  is  an  evil  power,  or  rather  the 
personification  of  evil,  having  his  origin  in 
himself  in  opposition  to,  and  in  perpetual 
struggle  with,  the  goodness  of  God.  If  God 
is  light,  they  say,  without  any  doubt  the 
power  which  struggles  against  Him  must  be 
darkness,  "darkness"  not  owing  its  existence 
to  a  foreign  origin,  but  an  evil  existing  by 
itself.  "Darkness"  is  the  enemy  of  souls,  the 
primary  cause  of  death,  the  adversary  of  vir- 
tue. The  words  of  the  prophet,  they  say  in 
their  error,  show  that  it  exists  and  that  it  does 
not  proceed  from  God.  From  this  what  per- 
verse and  impious  dogmas  have  been  im- 
agined! What  grievous  wolves,  tearing  the 
flock  of  the  Lord,  have  sprung  from  these 
words  to  cast  themselves  upon  souls!  Is  it 
not  from  hence  that  have  come  forth  Marcions 
and  Valentinuses  and  the  detestable  heresy  of 
the  Manicheans  which  you  may,  without  go- 
ing far  wrong,  call  the  putrid  humor  of  the 
churches  ? 

0  man,  why  wander  thus  from  the  truth 
and  imagine  for  thyself  that  which  will  cause 
thy  perdition  ?  The  word  is  simple  and  within 
the  comprehension  of  all.  "The  earth  was 

10 


BASIL 

invisible."  Why?  Because  the  "deep"  was 
spread  over  its  surface.  What  is  ' '  the  deep  ? '  * 
A  mass  of  water  of  extreme  depth.  But  we 
know  that  we  can  see  many  bodies  through 
clear  and  transparent  water.  How,  then,  was 
it  that  no  part  of  the  earth  appeared  through 
the  water  ?  Because  the  air  which  surrounded 
it  was  still  without  light  and  in  darkness. 
The  rays  of  the  sun,  penetrating  the  water, 
often  allow  us  to  see  the  pebbles  which  form 
the  bed  of  the  river,  but  in  a  dark  night  it  is 
impossible  for  our  glance  to  penetrate  under 
the  water.  Thus,  these  words,  ' '  the  earth  was 
invisible,"  are  explained  by  those  that  fol- 
low; ''the  deep"  covered  it  and  itself  was  in 
darkness.  Thus  the  deep  is  not  a  multitude 
of  hostile  powers,  as  has  been  imagined;  nor 
"darkness"  an  evil  sovereign  force  in  enmity 
with  good.  In  reality  two  rival  principles  of 
equal  power,  if  engaged  without  ceasing  in 
a  war  of  mutual  attacks,  will  end  in  self- 
destruction. 

But  if  one  should  gain  the  mastery  it  would 
completely  annihilate  the  conquered.  Thus, 
to  maintain  the  balance  in  the  struggle  be- 
tween good  and  evil  is  to  represent  them  as 
engaged  in  a  war  without  end  and  in  per- 
petual destruction,  where  the  opponents  are  at 
the  same  time  conquerors  and  conquered.  If 
good  is  the  stronger,  what  is  there  to  prevent 
evil  from  being  completely  annihilated?  But 
if  that  be  the  case,  the  very  utterance  of  which 

11 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

is  impious,  I  ask  myself  how  it  is  that  they 
themselves  are  not  filled  with  horror  to  think 
that  they  have  imagined  such  abominable 
blasphemies. 

It  is  equally  impious  to  say  that  evil  has 
its  origin  from  God ;  because  the  contrary  can 
not  proceed  from  its  contrary.  Life  does  not 
engender  death ;  darkness  is  not  the  origin  of 
light ;  sickness  is  not  the  maker  of  health.  In 
the  changes  of  conditions  there  are  transitions 
from  one  condition  to  the  contrary;  but  in 
genesis  each  being  proceeds  from  its  like  and 
from  its  contrary.  If,  then,  evil  is  neither  un- 
created nor  created  by  God,  from  whence 
comes  its  nature?  Certainly,  that  evil  exists 
no  one  living  in  the  world  will  deny.  What 
shall  we  say,  then?  Evil  is  not  a  living  ani- 
mated essence:  it  is  the  condition  of  the 
soul  opposed  to  virtue,  developed  in  the  care- 
less on  account  of  their  falling  away  from 
good. 

Do  not,  then,  go  beyond  yourself  to  seek 
for  evil,  and  imagine  that  there  is  an  original 
nature  of  wickedness.  Each  of  us — let  us 
acknowledge  it — is  the  first  author  of  his  own 
vice. 

Among  the  ordinary  events  of  life,  some 
come  naturally,  like  old  age  and  sickness; 
others  by  chance,  like  unforeseen  occurrences, 
of  which  the  origin  is  beyond  ourselves,  often 
sad,  sometimes  fortunate — as,  for  instance,  the 
discovery  of  a  treasure  when  digging  a  well, 

12 


BASIL 

or  the  meeting  of  a  mad  dog  when  going  to 
the  market-place. 

Others  depend  upon  ourselves;  such  as 
ruling  one's  passions,  or  not  putting  a  bridle 
on  one's  pleasures;  the  mastery  of  anger,  or 
resistance  against  him  who  irritates  us ;  truth- 
telling  or  lying,  the  maintenance  of  a  sweet 
and  well-regulated  disposition,  or  of  a  mood 
fierce  and  swollen  and  exalted  with  pride. 
Here  you  are  the  master  of  your  actions.  Do 
not  look  for  the  guiding  cause  beyond  your- 
self, but  recognize  that  evil,  rightly  so  called, 
has  no  other  origin  than  our  voluntary  falls. 
If  it  were  involuntary,  and  did  not  depend 
upon  ourselves,  the  laws  would  not  have  so 
much  terror  for  the  guilty,  and  the  tribunals 
would  not  be  so  pitiless  when  they  condemn 
wretches  according  to  the  measure  of  their 
crimes. 

But  enough  concerning  evil  rightly  so 
called.  Sickness,  poverty,  obscurity,  death, 
finally  all  human  afflictions,  ought  not  to  be 
ranked  as  evils,  since  we  do  not  count  among 
the  greatest  boons  things  which  are  their  op- 
posites.  Among  these  afflictions  some  are  the 
effect  of  nature,  others  have  obviously  been 
for  many  a  source  of  advantage.  Let  us  be 
silent  for  the  moment  about  these  metaphors 
and  allegories,  and,  simply  following  without 
vain  curiosity  the  words  of  Holy  Scripture, 
let  us  take  from  darkness  the  idea  which  it 
gives  us. 

13 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT    SERMONS 

But  reason  asks,  Was  darkness  created 
with  the  world?  Is  it  older  than  light? 
Why,  in  spite  of  its  inferiority,  has  it  pre- 
ceded it?  Darkness,  we  reply,  did  not  exist 
in  essence;  it  is  a  condition  produced  in  the 
air  by  the  withdrawal  of  light.  What,  then, 
is  that  light  which  disappeared  suddenly  from 
the  world  so  that  darkness  should  cover  the 
face  of  the  deep?  If  anything  had  existed 
before  the  formation  of  this  sensible  and 
perishable  world,  no  doubt  we  conclude  it 
would  have  been  in  the  light.  The  orders  of 
angels,  the  heavenly  hosts,  all  intellectual  na- 
tures named  or  unnamed,  all  the  ministering 
spirits,  did  not  live  in  darkness,  but  enjoyed 
a  condition  fitted  for  them  in  light  and  spiri- 
tual joy. 

No  one  will  contradict  this,  least  of  all  he 
who  looks  for  celestial  light  as  one  of  the  re- 
wards promised  to  virtue — the  light  which,  as 
Solomon  says,  is  always  a  light  to  the  right- 
eous, the  light  which  made  the  apostle  say, 
"Giving  thanks  unto  the  Father,  which  hath 
made  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of  the  inherit- 
ance of  the  saints  in  light."  Finally,  if  the 
condemned  are  sent  into  outer  darkness,  evi- 
dently those  who  are  made  worthy  of  God's 
approval  are  at  rest  in  heavenly  light.  When, 
then,  according  to  the  order  of  God,  the 
heaven  appeared,  enveloping  all  that  its  cir- 
cumference included,  a  vast  and  unbroken 
body  separating  outer  things  from  those 


BASIL 

which  it  enclosed,  it  necessarily  kept  the  space 
inside  in  darkness  for  want  of  communication 
with  the  outer  light. 

Three  things  are,  indeed,  needed  to  form  a 
shadow:  light,  a  body,  a  dark  place.  The 
shadow  of  heaven  forms  the  darkness  of  the 
world.  Understand,  I  pray  you,  what  I  mean, 
by  a  simple  example — by  raising  for  yourself 
at  midday  a  tent  of  some  compact  and  im- 
penetrable material,  you  shut  yourself  up 
in  sudden  darkness.  Suppose  that  original 
darkness  was  like  this,  not  subsisting  directly 
by  itself,  but  resulting  from  some  external 
causes.  If  it  is  said  that  it  rested  upon  the 
deep,  it  is  because  the  extremity  of  air 
naturally  touches  the  surface  of  bodies;  and 
as  at  that  time  the  water  covered  everything, 
we  are  obliged  to  say  that  darkness  was  upon 
the  face  of  the  deep. 

''And  the  Spirit  of  God  moved  upon  the 
face  of  the  waters?"  Does  this  Spirit  mean 
the  diffusion  of  air  ?  The  sacred  writer  wishes 
to  enumerate  to  you  the  elements  of  the  world, 
to  tell  you  that  God  created  the  heavens,  the 
earth,  water  and  air,  and  that  the  last  was 
now  diffused  and  in  motion;  or  rather,  that 
which  is  truer  and  confirmed  by  the  authority 
of  the  ancients,  by  the  Spirit  of  God  he  means 
the  Holy  Spirit.  It  is,  as  has  been  remarked, 
the  special  name,  the  name  above  all  others 
that  Scripture  delights  to  give  to  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  God  the  Holy 

15 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

Spirit  is  meant,  the  Spirit,  namely,  which  com- 
pletes the  divine  and  blessed  Trinity.  You 
will  always  find  it  better,  therefore,  to  take 
it  in  this  sense.  How,  then,  did  the  Spirit  of 
God  move  upon  the  waters  ?  The  explanation 
that  I  am  about  to  give  you  is  not  an  original 
one,  but  that  of  a  Syrian  who  was  as  ignorant 
in  the  wisdom  of  this  world  as  he  was  versed 
in  the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

He  said,  then,  that  the  Syriac  word  was 
more  expressive,  and  that,  being  more  analo- 
gous to  the  Hebrew  term,  it  was  a  nearer  ap- 
proach to  the  Scriptural  sense.  This  is  the 
meaning  of  the  word:  by  "moved"  the 
Syrians,  he  says,  understand  brooded  over. 
The  Spirit  cherished  the  nature  of  the  waters 
as  one  sees  a  bird  cover  the  eggs  with  her 
body  and  impart  to  them  vital  force  from  her 
own  warmth.  Such  is,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
the  meaning  of  these  words — the  Spirit 
moved :  that  is,  prepared  the  nature  of  water 
to  produce  living  beings:  a  sufficient  proof 
for  those  who  ask  if  the  Holy  Spirit  took  an 
active  part  in  the  creation  of  the  world. 

"And  God  said,  Let  there  be  light."  The 
first  word  uttered  by  God  created  the  nature 
of  light;  it  made  darkness  vanish,  dispelled 
gloom,  illuminated  the  world,  and  gave  to 
all  being  at  the  same  time  a  sweet  and  gra- 
cious aspect.  The  heavens,  until  then  en- 
veloped in  darkness,  appeared  with  that 
beauty  which  they  still  present  to  our  eyes. 

16 


BASIL 

The  air  was  lighted  up,  or  rather  made  the 
light  circulate  mixed  with  its  substance,  and, 
distributing  its  splendor  rapidly  in  every 
direction,  so  dispersed  itself  to  its  extreme 
limits.  Up  it  sprang  to  the  very  ether  and 
heaven.  In  an  instant  it  lighted  up  the 
whole  extent  of  the  world,  the  north  and  the 
south,  the  east  and  the  west.  For  the  ether 
also  is  such  a  subtle  substance  and  so  trans- 
parent that  it  needs  not  the  space  of  a 
moment  for  light  to  pass  through  it.  Just 
as  it  carries  our  sight  instantaneously  to  the 
object  of  vision,  so  without  the  least  interval, 
with  a  rapidity  that  thought  can  not  con- 
ceive, it  receives  these  rays  of  light  in  its 
uttermost  limits.  With  light  the  ether  be- 
comes more  pleasing  and  the  waters  more 
limpid.  These  last,  not  content  with  receiv- 
ing its  splendor,  return  it  by  the  reflection 
of  light  and  in  all  directions  send  forth  quiv- 
ering flashes.  The  divine  word  gives  every 
object  a  more  cheerful  and  a  more  attractive 
appearance,  just  as  when  men  pour  in  oil  into 
the  deep  sea  they  make  the  place  about  them 
smooth.  So,  with  a  single  word  and  in  one 
instant  the  Creator  of  all  things  gave  the  boon 
of  light  to  the  world. 

"Let  there  be  light."  The  order  was  itself 
an  operation,  and  a  state  of  things  was 
brought  into  being  than  which  man's  mind 
can  not  even  imagine  a  pleasanter  one  for  our 
enjoyment.  It  must  be  well  understood  that 

1-2  17 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

when  we  speak  of  the  voice,  of  the  word,  of 
the  command  of  God,  this  divine  language 
does  not  mean  to  us  a  sound  which  escapes 
from  the  organs  of  speech,  a  collision  of  air 
struck  by  the  tongue;  it  is  a  simple  sign  of 
the  will  of  God,  and,  if  we  give  it  the  form 
of  an  order,  it  is  only  the  better  to  impress 
the  souls  whom  we  instruct. 

"And  God  saw  the  light,  that  it  was  good." 
How  can  we  worthily  praise  light  after  the 
testimony  given  by  the  Creator  to  its  good- 
ness? The  word,  even  among  us,  refers  the 
judgment  to  the  eyes,  incapable  of  raising 
itself  to  the  idea  that  the  senses  have  al- 
ready received.  But  if  beauty  in  bodies  re- 
sults from  symmetry  of  parts  and  the 
harmonious  appearance  of  colors  how,  in  a 
simple  and  homogeneous  essence  like  light, 
can  this  idea  of  beauty  be  preserved  ?  Would 
not  the  symmetry  in  light  be  less  shown  in 
its  parts  than  in  the  pleasure  and  delight  at 
the  sight  of  it?  Such  is  also  the  beauty  of 
gold,  which  it  owes,  not  to  the  happy  min- 
gling of  its  parts,  but  only  to  its  beautiful 
color,  which  has  a  charm  attractive  to  the 
eyes. 

Thus,  again,  the  evening  star  is  the  most 
beautiful  of  the  stars:  not  that  the  parts  of 
which  it  is  composed  form  a  harmonious 
whole,  but  thanks  to  the  unalloyed  and  beau- 
tiful brightness  which  meets  our  eyes.  And 
further,  when  God  proclaimed  the  goodness 

18 


BASIL 

of  light,  it  was  not  in  regard  to  the  charm  of 
the  eye,  but  as  a  provision  for  future  advan- 
tage, because  at  that  time  there  were  as  yet 
no  eyes  to  judge  of  its  beauty. 

"And  God  divided  the  light  from  the  dark- 
ness. ' '  That  is  to  say,  God  gave  them  natures 
incapable  of  mixing,  perpetually  in  opposition 
to  each  other,  and  put  between  them  the 
widest  space  and  distance. 

"And  God  called  the  light  day,  and  the 
darkness  he  called  night."  Since  the  birth 
of  the  sun,  the  light  that  it  diffuses  in  the 
air  when  shining  on  our  hemisphere  is  day, 
and  the  shadow  produced  by  its  disappear- 
ance is  night.  But  at  that  time  it  was  not 
after  the  movement  of  the  sun,  but  fol- 
lowing this  primitive  light  spread  abroad  in 
the  air  or  withdrawn  in  a  measure  determined 
by  God,  that  day  came  and  was  followed  by 
night. 

"And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were 
the  first  day. ' '  Evening  is  then  the  boundary 
common  to  day  and  night;  and  in  the  same 
way  morning  constitutes  the  approach  of 
night  to  day.  It  was  to  give  day  the  privi- 
leges of  seniority  that  Scripture  put  the  end 
of  the  first  day  before  that  of  the  first  night, 
because  night  follows  day:  for,  before  the 
creation  of  light,  the  world  was  not  in  night, 
but  in  darkness.  It  is  the  opposite  of  day 
which  was  called  night,  and  it  did  not  re- 
ceive its  name  until  after  day.  Thus  were 

19 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

created  the  evening  and  the  morning.  Scripture 
means  the  space  of  a  day  and  a  night,  and 
afterward  no  more  says  day  and  night,  but 
calls  them  both  under  the  name  of  the  more 
important:  a  custom  which  you  will  find 
throughout  Scripture.  Everywhere  the  meas- 
ure of  time  is  counted  by  days  without 
mention  of  nights.  "The  days  of  our  years," 
says  the  Psalmist;  "few  and  evil  have  the 
days  of  the  years  of  my  life  been,"  said 
Jacob;  and  elsewhere  "all  the  days  of  my 
life." 

"And  the  evening  and  the  morning  were 
the  first  day,"  or,  rather,  one  day. — (Revised 
Vers).  Why  does  Scripture  say  "one  day," 
not  "the  first  day?"  Before  speaking  to  us 
of  the  second,  the  third,  and  the  fourth  days, 
would  it  not  have  been  more  natural  to  call 
that  one  the  first  which  began  the  series?  If 
it,  therefore,  says  "one  day,"  it  is  from  a 
wish  to  determine  the  measure  of  day  and 
night  and  to  combine  the  time  that  they  con- 
tain. Now,  twenty-four  hours  fill  up  the 
space  of  one  day — we  mean  of  a  day  and  of 
a  night;  and  if,  at  the  time  of  the  solstices, 
they  have  not  both  an  equal  length,  the  time 
marked  by  Scripture  does  not  the  less  cir- 
cumscribe their  duration.  It  is  as  tho  it  said : 
Twenty-four  hours  measure  the  space  of  a 
day,  or  a  day  is  in  reality  the  time  that  the 
heavens,  starting  from  one  point,  take  to 
return  thither.  Thus,  every  time  that,  in  the 

20 


BASIL 

revolution  of  the  sun,  evening  and  morning 
occupy  the  world,  their  periodical  succession 
never  exceeds  the  space  of  one  day. 

But  we  must  believe  that  there  is  a 
mysterious  reason  for  this?  God,  who  made 
the  nature  of  time,  measured  it  out  and  deter- 
mined it  by  intervals  of  days ;  and,  wishing  to 
give  it  a  week  as  a  measure,  he  ordered  the 
week  to  resolve  from  period  to  period  upon 
itself,  to  count  the  movement  of  time,  form- 
ing the  week  of  one  day  revolving  seven 
times  upon  itself:  a  proper  circle  begins  and 
ends  with  itself.  Such  is  also  the  character 
of  eternity,  to  revolve  upon  itself  and  to  end 
nowhere.  If,  then,  the  beginning  of  time  is 
called  "one  day"  rather  than  ''the  first  day," 
it  is  because  Scripture  wishes  to  establish  its 
relationship  with  eternity.  It  was,  in  reality, 
fit  and  natural  to  call  "one"  the  day  whose 
character  is  to  be  one  wholly  separated  and 
isolated  from  all  others.  If  Scripture  speaks 
to  us  of  many  ages,  saying  everywhere  "age 
of  age,  and  ages  of  ages,"  we  do  not  see  it 
enumerate  them  as  first,  second,  and  third. 
It  follows  that  we  are  hereby  shown,  not  so 
much  limits,  ends,  and  succession  of  ages  as 
distinctions  between  various  states  and  modes 
of  action.  ' '  The  day  of  the  Lord, ' '  Scripture 
says,  "is  great  and  very  terrible,"  and  else- 
where, "Woe  unto  you  that  desire  the  day 
of  the  Lord :  to  what  end  is  it  for  you  ?  The 
day  of  the  Lord  is  darkness  and  not  light." 

21 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

A  day  of  darkness  for  those  who  are  worthy 
of  darkness.  No;  this  day  without  evening, 
without  succession,  and  without  end  is  not 
unknown  to  Scripture,  and  it  is  the  day  that 
the  Psalmist  calls  the  eighth  day,  because  it 
is  outside  this  time  of  weeks.  Thus,  whether 
you  call  it  day  or  whether  you  call  it  eternity, 
you  express  the  same  idea.  Give  this  state 
the  name  of  day;  there  are  not  several,  but 
only  one.  If  you  call  it  eternity  still  it  is 
unique  and  not  manifold.  Thus  it  is  in  order 
that  you  may  carry  your  thoughts  forward 
toward  a  future  life  that  Scripture  marks 
by  the  word  "one"  the  day  which  is  the  type 
of  eternity,  the  first-fruits  of  days,  the  con- 
temporary of  light,  the  holy  Lord's  day. 
But  while  I  am  conversing  with  you  about 
the  first  evening  of  the  world,  evening  takes 
me  by  surprize  and  puts  an  end  to  my  dis- 
course. May  the  Father  of  the  true  light, 
who  has  adorned  day  with  celestial  light, 
who  has  made  to  shine  the  fires  which  illu- 
minate us  during  the  night,  who  reserves  for 
us  in  the  peace  of  a  future  age  a  spiritual  and 
everlasting  light,  enlighten  your  hearts  in  the 
knowledge  of  truth,  keep  you  from  stumbling, 
and  grant  that  "you  may  walk  honestly  as 
in  the  day. ' '  Thus  shall  you  shine  as  the  sun 
in  the  midst  of  the  glory  of  the  saints,  and 
I  shall  glory  in  you  in  the  day  of  Christ,  to 
whom  belong  all  glory  and  power  for  ever 
and  ever.  Amen. 

22 


CHRYSOSTOM 

EXCESSIVE    GRIEF   AT   THE   DEATH    OF 
FRIENDS 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTE 

CHRYSOSTOM  (that  is,  "Of  the  Golden 
Mouth")  was  a  title  given  to  John, 
Archbishop  of  Constantinople.  He  was 
born  of  a  patrician  family  at  Antioch 
about  347,  and  owed  much  to  the  early 
Christian  training  of  his  Christian 
mother,  Anthusa.  He  studied  under  Li- 
banius,  and  for  a  time  practised  law,  but 
was  converted  and  baptized  in  368.  He 
made  a  profound  study  of  the  Scriptures, 
the  whole  of  which,  it  is  said,  he  learned 
to  repeat  by  heart. 

Like  Basil  and  Gregory  he  began  his 
religious  life  as  a  hermit  in  the  desert. 
After  six  years  he  returned  to  Antioch, 
where  he  gained  reputation  as  the  great- 
est preacher  in  the  Eastern  Church. 
Raised  to  the  metropolitan  See  of  Con- 
stantinople in  397,  his  fulminations 
against  the  corruptions  of  the  court 
caused  him  to  be  banished,  after  a  stormy 
ministry  of  six  years.  He  was  recalled 
in  response  to  popular  clamor,  but  re- 
moved again,  and  shortly  after  died,  in 
407.  He  was  a  great  exegete,  and  showed 
a  spirit  of  intellectual  liberty  which  an- 
ticipated modern  criticism.  Sermons  to 
the  number  of  one  thousand  have  been 
attributed  to  him. 


CHRYSOSTOM 

347—407 

EXCESSIVE    GRIEF   AT   THE    DEATH    OF 
FRIENDS 

But  I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  con- 
cerning them  which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not. 
— 1  Thess.  iv.,  13. 

WE  have  occupied  four  days  in  ex- 
plaining to  you  the  parable  of  Laza- 
rus, bringing  out  the  treasure  that 
we  found  in  a  body  covered  with  sores;  a 
treasure,  not  of  gold  and  silver  and  precious 
stones,  but  of  wisdom  and  fortitude,  of 
patience  and  endurance.  For  as  in  regard 
to  visible  treasures,  while  the  surface  of  the 
ground  shows  only  thorns  and  briers,  and 
rough  earth,  yet,  let  a  person  dig  deep  into 
it,  abundant  wealth  discovers  itself;  so  it  has 
proved  in  respect  to  Lazarus.  Outwardly, 
wounds;  but  underneath  these,  unspeakable 
wealth;  a  body  pining  away,  but  a  spirit 
noble  and  wakeful.  We  have  also  seen  an 
illustration  of  that  remark  of  the  apostle's 
— in  proportion  as  the  outward  man  perishes, 
the  inward  man  is  renewed. 

It  would,  indeed,  be  proper  to  address  you 
to-day,   also,  on  this  same  parable,   and  to 

25 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

enter  the  lists  with  those  heretics  who  censure 
the  Old  Testament,  bringing  accusations 
against  the  patriarchs,  and  whetting  their 
tongues  against  God,  the  Creator  of  the  uni- 
verse. But  to  avoid  wearying  you  and  re- 
serving this  controversy  for  another  time,  let 
us  direct  the  discourse  to  another  subject ;  for 
a  table  with  only  one  sort  of  food  produces 
satiety,  while  variety  provokes  the  appetite. 
That  it  may  be  so  in  regard  to  our  preaching, 
let  us  now,  after  a  long  period,  turn  to  the 
blest  Paul;  for  very  opportunely  has  a 
passage  from  the  apostle  been  read  to-day, 
and  the  things  which  are  to  be  spoken  con- 
cerning it  are  in  harmony  with  those  that 
have  lately  been  presented.  Hear,  then,  Paul 
this  day  proclaiming — ' '  I  would  not  have  you 
to  be  ignorant  concerning  them  which  are 
asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not  even  as  others 
which  have  no  hope."  The  parable  of  Laza- 
rus is  the  evangelical  chord;  this  passage  is 
the  apostolic  note.  And  there  is  concord  be- 
tween them;  for  we  have,  on  that  parable, 
said  much  concerning  the  resurrection  and 
the  future  judgment,  and  our  discourse  now 
recurs  to  that  theme;  so  that,  tho  it  is  on 
apostolic  ground  we  are  now  toiling,  we  shall 
here  find  the  same  treasure.  For  in  treating 
the  parable,  our  aim  was  to  teach  the  hearers 
this  lesson,  that  they  should  regard  all  the 
splendors  of  the  present  life  as  nothing,  but 
should  look  forward  in  their  hopes,  and  daily 

26 


CHRYSOSTOM 


reflect  on  the  decisions  which  will  be  here- 
after pronounced,  and  on  that  fearful  judg- 
ment, and  that  Judge  who  can  not  be  de- 
ceived. On  these  things  Paul  has  counseled 
us  to-day  in  the  passages  which  have  been 
read  to  us.  Attend,  however,  to  his  own 
words — "I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant, 
brethren,  concerning  them  which  are  asleep, 
that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as  others  which  have 
no  hope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died 
and  rose  again,  even  so  them  also  which  sleep 
in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  him. ' ' — I  Thess. 
iv.,  13,  14. 

We  ought  here,  at  the  outset,  to  inquire 
why,  when  he  is  speaking  concerning  Christ, 
he  employs  the  word  death;  but  when  he  is 
speaking  of  our  decease  he  calls  it  sleep,  and 
not  death.  For  he  did  not  say,  Concerning 
them  that  are  dead:  but  what  did  he  say? 
" Concerning  them  that  are  asleep."  And 
again — "Even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in 
Jesus  will  God  bring  with  Him."  He  did  not 
say,  Them  that  have  died.  Still  again — "We 
who  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming  of 
the  Lord  shall  not  prevent  them  that  sleep." 
Here,  too,  he  did  not  say — Them  that  are 
dead;  but  a  third  time,  bringing  the  subject 
to  their  remembrance,  for  the  third  time 
called  death  a  sleep.  Concerning  Christ, 
however,  he  did  not  speak  thus;  but  how? 
"For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died."  He  did 
not  say,  Jesus  slept,  but  He  died.  Why  now 

27 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

did  he  use  the  term  death  in  reference  to 
Christ,  but  in  reference  to  us  the  term  sleep  ? 
For  it  was  not  casually,  or  negligently,  that 
he  employed  this  expression,  but  he  had  a 
wise  and  great  purpose  in  so  doing.  In  speak- 
ing of  Christ,  he  said  death,  so  as  to  confirm 
the  fact  that  Christ  had  actually  suffered 
death;  in  speaking  of  us,  he  said  sleep,  in 
order  to  impart  consolation.  For  where 
resurrection  had  already  taken  place,  he  men- 
tions death  with  plainness;  but  where  the 
resurrection  is  still  a  matter  of  hope,  he  says 
sleep,  consoling  us  by  this  very  expression,  and 
cherishing  our  valuable  hopes.  For  he  who 
is  only  asleep  will  surely  awake;  and  death 
is  no  more  than  a  long  sleep. 

Say  not  a  dead  man  hears  not,  nor  speaks, 
nor  sees,  nor  is  conscious.  It  is  just  so  with 
a  sleeping  person.  If  I  may  speak  somewhat 
paradoxically,  even  the  soul  of  a  sleeping  per- 
son is  in  some  sort  asleep ;  but  not  so  the  soul 
of  a  dead  man ;  that  is  awake. 

But,  you  say,  a  dead  man  experiences  cor- 
ruption, and  becomes  dust  and  ashes.  And 
what  then,  beloved  hearers?  For  this  very 
reason  we  ought  to  rejoice.  For  when  a  man 
is  about  to  rebuild  an  old  and  tottering  house, 
he  first  sends  out  its  occupants,  then  tears  it 
down,  and  rebuilds  anew  a  more  splendid  one. 
This  occasions  no  grief  to  the  occupants,  but 
rather  joy;  for  they  do  not  think  of  the 
demolition  which  they  see,  but  of  the  house 

23 


CHRYSOSTOM 


which  is  to  come,  tho  not  yet  seen.  When 
God  is  about  to  do  a  similar  work,  he  destroys 
our  body,  and  removes  the  soul  which  was 
dwelling  in  it  as  from  some  house,  that  he 
may  build  it  anew  and  more  splendidly,  and 
again  bring  the  soul  into  it  with  greater  glory. 
Let  us  not,  therefore,  regard  the  tearing  down, 
but  the  splendor  which  is  to  succeed. 

If,  again,  a  man  has  a  statue  decayed  by 
rust  and  age,  and  mutilated  in  many  of  its 
parts,  he  breaks  it  up  and  casts  it  into  a 
furnace,  and  after  the  melting  he  receives  it 
again  in  a  more  beautiful  form.  As  then  the 
dissolving  in  the  furnace  was  not  a  destruc- 
tion but  a  renewing  of  the  statue,  so  the  death 
of  our  bodies  is  not  a  destruction  but  a 
renovation.  When,  therefore,  you  see  as  in 
a  furnace  our  flesh  flowing  away  to  corrup- 
tion, dwell  not  on  that  sight,  but  wait  for 
the  recasting.  And  be  not  satisfied  with  the 
extent  of  this  illustration,  but  advance  in 
your  thoughts  to  a  still  higher  point;  for  the 
statuary,  casting  into  the  furnace  a  brazen 
image,  does  not  furnish  you  in  its  place  a 
golden  and  undecaying  statue,  but  again 
makes  a  brazen  one.  God  does  not  thus;  but 
casting  in  a  mortal  body  formed  of  clay,  he 
returns  to  you  a  golden  and  immortal  statue ; 
for  the  earth,  receiving  a  corruptible  and  de- 
caying body  gives  back  the  same,  incorrupt- 
ible and  undecaying.  Look  not,  therefore, 
on  the  corpse,  lying  with  closed  eyes  and 

29 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

speechless  lips,  but  on  the  man  that  is  risen, 
that  has  received  glory  unspeakable  and  ama- 
zing, and  direct  your  thoughts  from  the 
present  sight  to  the  future  hope. 

But  do  you  miss  his  society,  and  therefore 
lament  and  mourn?  Now  is  it  not  unreason- 
able, that,  if  you  should  have  given  your 
daughter  in  marriage,  and  her  husband 
should  take  her  to  a  distant  country  and 
should  there  enjoy  prosperity,  you  would  not 
think  the  circumstance  a  calamity,  but  the  in- 
telligence of  their  prosperity  would  console 
the  sorrow  occasioned  by  her  absence ;  and  yet 
here,  while  it  is  not  a  man,  nor  a  fellow 
servant,  but  the  Lord  Himself  who  has  taken 
your  relative,  that  you  should  grieve  and 
lament  ? 

And  how  is  it  possible,  you  ask,  not  to 
grieve,  since  I  am  only  a  man?  Nor  do  I 
say  that  you  should  not  grieve :  I  do  not  con- 
demn dejection,  but  the  intensity  of  it.  To 
be  dejected  is  natural;  but  to  be  overcome  by 
dejection  is  madness,  and  folly,  and  unmanly 
weakness.  You  may  grieve  and  weep;  but 
give  not  way  to  despondency,  nor  indulge  in 
complaints.  Give  thanks  to  God,  who  has 
taken  your  friend,  that  you  have  the  oppor- 
tunity of  honoring  the  departed  one,  and  of 
dismissing  him  with  becoming  obsequies.  If 
you  sink  under  depression,  you  withhold 
honor  from  the  departed,  you  displease  God 
who  has  taken  him,  and  you  injure  yourself; 

30 


CHRYSOSTOM 


but  if  you  are  grateful,  you  pay  respect  to 
him,  you  glorify  God,  and  you  benefit  your- 
self. Weep,  as  wept  your  Master  over  Laza- 
rus, observing  the  just  limits  of  sorrow,  which 
it  is  not  proper  to  pass.  Thus  also  said  Paul 
— "I  would  not  have  you  to  be  ignorant  con- 
cerning them  which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow 
not  as  others  who  have  no  hope.  Grieve," 
says  he;  "but  not  as  the  Greek,  who  has  no 
hope  of  a  resurrection,  who  despairs  of  a 
future  life." 

Believe  me,  I  am  ashamed  and  blush  to  see 
unbecoming  groups  of  women  pass  along  the 
mart,  tearing  their  hair,  cutting  their  arms 
and  cheeks — and  all  this  under  the  eyes  of  the 
Greeks.  For  what  will  they  not  say?  "What 
will  they  not  declare  concerning  us?  Are 
these  the  men  who  reason  about  a  resurrec- 
tion? Indeed!  How  poorly  their  actions 
agree  with  their  opinions!  In  words,  they 
reason  about  a  resurrection :  but  they  act  just 
like  those  who  do  not  acknowledge  a  resurrec- 
tion. If  they  fully  believed  in  a  resurrection, 
they  would  not  act  thus;  if  they  had  really 
persuaded  themselves  that  a  deceased  friend 
had  departed  to  a  better  state,  they  would 
not  thus  mourn.  These  things,  and  more  than 
these,  the  unbelievers  say  when  they  hear 
those  lamentations.  Let  us  then  be  ashamed, 
and  be  more  moderate,  and  not  occasion  so 
much  harm  to  ourselves  and  to  those  who  are 
looking  on  us. 

31 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

For  on  what  account,  tell  me,  do  you  thus 
weep  for  one  departed?  Because  he  was  a 
bad  man?  You  ought  on  that  very  account 
to  be  thankful,  since  the  occasions  of  wicked- 
ness are  now  cut  off.  Because  he  was  good 
and  kind  ?  If  so,  you  ought  to  rejoice ;  since 
he  has  been  soon  removed,  before  wickedness 
had  corrupted  him,  and  he  has  gone  away  to 
a  world  where  he  stands  even  secure,  and 
there  is  no  reason  even  to  mistrust  a  change. 
Because  he  was  a  youth?  For  that,  too, 
praise  Him  that  has  taken  him,  because  he 
has  speedily  called  him  to  a  better  lot.  Be- 
cause he  was  an  aged  man  ?  On  this  account, 
also,  give  thanks  and  glorify  Him  that 
has  taken  him.  Be  ashamed  of  your  behavior 
at  a  burial.  The  singing  of  psalms,  the 
prayers,  the  assembling  of  the  (spiritual) 
fathers  and  brethren — all  this  is  not  that  you 
may  weep,  and  lament,  and  afflict  yourselves, 
but  that  you  may  render  thanks  to  Him  who 
has  taken  the  departed.  For  as  when  men 
are  called  to  some  high  office,  multitudes  with 
praises  on  their  lips  assemble  to  escort  them 
at  their  departure  to  their  stations,  so  do  all 
with  abundant  praise  join  to  send  forward, 
as  to  greater  honor,  those  of  the  pious  who 
have  departed.  Death  is  rest,  a  deliverance 
from  the  exhausting  labors  and  cares  of  this 
world.  When,  then,  thou  seest  a  relative  de- 
parting, yield  not  to  despondency;  give  thy- 
self to  reflection;  examine  thy  conscience; 

32 


CHRYSOSTOM 


cherish  the  thought  that  after  a  little  while 
this  end  awaits  thee  also.  Be  more  con- 
siderate; let  another's  death  excite  thee  to 
salutary  fear;  shake  off  all  indolence;  ex- 
amine your  past  deeds;  quit  your  sins,  and 
commence  a  happy  change. 

We  differ  from  unbelievers  in  our  esti- 
mate of  things.  The  unbeliever  surveys  the 
heavens  and  worships  them,  because  he  thinks 
them  a  divinity;  he  looks  to  the  earth  and 
makes  himself  a  servant  to  it,  and  longs  for 
the  things  of  sense.  But  not  so  with  us.  We 
survey  the  heavens  and  admire  Him  that 
made  them;  for  we  do  not  believe  them 
to  be  a  god,  but  a  work  of  God.  I  look  on 
the  whole  creation,  and  am  led  by  it  to  the 
Creator.  He  looks  on  wealth,  and  longs  for 
it  with  earnest  desire;  I  look  on  wealth,  and 
contemn  it.  He  sees  poverty,  and  laments; 
I  see  poverty,  and  rejoice.  I  see  things  in  one 
light;  he  in  another.  Just  so  in  regard  to 
death.  He  sees  a  corpse,  and  thinks  of  it  as 
a  corpse;  I  see  a  corpse,  and  behold  sleep 
rather  than  death.  And  as  in  regard  to  books, 
both  learned  persons  and  unlearned  see  them 
with  the  same  eyes,  but  not  with  the  same  un- 
derstanding— for  to  the  unlearned  the  mere 
shapes  of  letters  appear,  while  the  learned 
discover  the  sense  that  lies  within  those  let- 
ters— so  in  respect  to  affairs  in  general,  we 
all  see  what  takes  place  with  the  same  eyes, 
but  not  with  the  same  understanding  and 

1—3  33 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

judgment.  Since,  therefore,  in  all  other 
things  we  differ  from  them,  shall  we  agree 
with  them  in  our  sentiments  respecting 
death? 

Consider  to  whom  the  departed  has  gone, 
and  take  comfort.  He  has  gone  where  Paul 
is,  and  Peter,  and  the  whole  company  of  the 
saints.  Consider  how  he  shall  arise,  with 
what  glory  and  splendor.  Consider  that  by 
mourning  and  lamenting  thou  canst  not  alter 
the  event  which  has  occurred,  and  thou  wilt 
in  the  end  injure  thyself.  Consider  whom 
you  imitate  by  so  doing,  and  shun  this  com- 
panionship in  sin.  For  whom  do  you  imitate 
and  emulate?  The  unbelieving,  those  who 
have  no  hope;  as  Paul  has  said — "That  ye 
sorrow  not,  even  as  others  who  have  no 
hope."  And  observe  how  carefully  he  ex- 
presses himself;  for  he  does  not  say,  Those 
who  have  not  the  hope  of  a  resurrection,  but 
simply,  Those  who  have  no  hope.  He  that  has 
no  hope  of  a  future  retribution  has  no  hope 
at  all,  nor  does  he  know  that  there  is  a  God, 
nor  that  God  exercises  a  providential  care 
over  present  occurrences,  nor  that  divine  jus- 
tice looks  on  all  things.  But  he  that  is  thus 
ignorant  and  inconsiderate  is  more  unwise 
than  a  beast,  and  separates  his  soul  from  all 
good ;  for  he  that  does  not  expect  to  render  an 
account  of  his  deeds  cuts  himself  loose  from 
all  virtue,  and  attaches  himself  to  all  vice. 
Considering  these  things,  therefore,  and  re- 

34 


CHRYSOSTOM 


fleeting  on  the  folly  and  stupidity  of  the 
heathen,  whose  associates  we  become  by  our 
lamentations  for  the  dead,  let  us  avoid  this 
conformity  to  them.  For  the  apostle  mentions 
them  for  this  very  purpose,  that  by  consider- 
ing the  dishonor  into  which  thou  f  allest,  thou 
mightest  recover  thyself  from  this  conformity, 
and  return  to  thy  proper  dignity. 

And  not  only  here,  but  everywhere  and 
frequently,  the  blest  Paul  does  the  same. 
For  when  he  would  dissuade  from  sin,  he 
shows  with  whom  we  become  associated  by 
our  sins,  that,  being  touched  by  the  charac- 
ter of  the  persons,  thou  shouldest  avoid  such 
companionship.  To  the  Thessalonians,  ac- 
cordingly, he  says,  Let  every  one  "possess  his 
vessel  in  sanctification  and  honor,  not  in  the 
lust  of  concupiscence,  even  as  the  Gentiles 
which  know  not  God."  And  again — "Walk 
not  as  the  other  Gentiles  in  the  vanity  of  their 
mind."  Thus  also  here — "I  would  not  have 
you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  them 
which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not  even  as 
others  who  have  no  hope."  For  it  is  not  the 
nature  of  things,  but  our  own  disposition, 
which  makes  us  grieve;  not  the  death  of  the 
departed,  but  the  weakness  of  those  who 
mourn. 

We  ought,  therefore,  to  thank  God  not  only 
for  the  resurrection,  but  also  for  the  hope  of 
it;  which  can  comfort  the  afflicted  soul,  and 
bid  us  be  of  good  cheer  concerning  the  de- 

35 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

parted,  for  they  will  again  rise  and  be  with 
us.  If  we  must  have  anguish,  we  should 
mourn  and  lament  over  those  who  are  living 
in  sin,  not  over  those  who  have  died  right- 
eously. Thus  did  Paul;  for  he  says  to  the 
Corinthians — "Lest  when  I  come  to  you  God 
shall  humble  me  among  you  and  that  I  shall 
bewail  many. ' '  He  was  not  speaking  of  those 
who  had  died,  but  of  those  who  had  sinned 
and  had  not  repented  of  the  lasciviousness  and 
uncleanness  which  they  had  committed;  over 
these  it  was  proper  to  mourn.  So  likewise 
another  writer  admonishes,  saying — "Weep 
over  the  dead,  for  the  light  has  failed;  and 
weep  over  the  fool,  for  understanding  has 
failed"  (Eccles.  xxii.,  10).  Weep  a  little  for 
the  dead ;  for  he  has  gone  to  his  rest ;  but  the 
fool's  life  is  a  greater  calamity  than  death. 
And  surely  if  one  devoid  of  understanding 
is  always  a  proper  object  of  lamentation, 
much  more  he  that  is  devoid  of  righteousness 
and  that  has  fallen  from  hope  toward  God. 
These,  then,  let  us  bewail ;  for  such  bewailing 
may  be  useful.  For  often  while  lamenting 
these,  we  amend  our  own  faults;  but  to  be-: 
wail  the  departed  is  senseless  and  hurtful. 
Let  us  not,  then,  reverse  the  order,  but  be- 
wail only  sin;  and  all  other  things,  whether 
poverty,  or  sickness,  or  untimely  death,  or 
calumny,  or  false  accusation,  or  whatever 
human  evil  befalls  us,  let  us  resolutely  bear 
them  all.  For  these  calamities,  if  we  are 

36 


CHRYSOSTOM 


watchful,  will  be  the  occasions  of  adding  to 
our  crowns. 

But  how  is  it  possible,  you  ask,  that  a  be- 
reaved person,  being  a  man,  should  not 
grieve  ?  On  the  contrary,  I  ask,  how  is  it  that 
being  a  man  he  should  grieve,  since  he  is 
honored  with  reason  and  with  hopes  of  future 
good?  Who  is  there,  you  ask  again,  that  has 
not  been  subdued  by  this  weakness?  Many, 
I  reply,  and  in  many  places,  both  among  us 
and  among  those  who  have  died  before  us. 
Job,  for  instance;  the  whole  circle  of  his 
children  being  taken  away,  hear  what  he  says 
— "The  Lord  gave;  the  Lord  hath  taken 
away;  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord."  A 
wonderful  saying,  even  when  merely  heard; 
but  if  you  examine  it  closely,  your  wonder 
will  greatly  increase. 

For  consider;  Satan  did  not  take  merely 
half  and  leave  half,  or  take  the  larger  number 
and  leave  the  rest;  but  he  gathered  all  the 
fruit,  and  yet  did  not  prevail  in  uprooting  the 
tree ;  he  covered  the  whole  sea  with  waves,  and 
yet  did  not  overwhelm  the  bark ;  he  despoiled 
the  tower  of  its  strength,  and  yet  could  not 
batter  it  down.  Job  stood  firm,  tho  assailed 
from  every  quarter;  showers  of  arrows  fell, 
but  they  did  not  wound  him.  Consider  how 
great  a  thing  it  was,  to  see  so  many  children 
perish.  Was  it  not  enough  to  pierce  him  to 
the  quick  that  they  should  all  be  snatched 
away? — altogether  and  in  one  day;  in  the 

37 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

flower  of  life;  having  shown  so  much  virtue; 
expiring  as  by  a  stroke  of  vengeance;  that 
after  so  many  sorrows  this  last  should  be  in- 
flicted ;  that  the  father  was  fond  of  them,  and 
that  the  deceased  were  worthy  of  his  affection. 
When  a  man  loses  vicious  children,  he  does 
indeed  suffer  grief,  but  not  intense  grief ;  for 
the  wickedness  of  the  departed  does  not  allow 
the  sorrow  to  be  poignant.  But  when  children 
are  virtuous,  an  abiding  wound  is  inflicted, 
the  remembrance  is  indelible,  the  calamity 
is  inconsolable;  there  is  a  double  sting,  from 
nature,  and  from  the  virtuous  character  of 
the  departed. 

That  Job's  children  were  virtuous,  appears 
from  the  fact  that  their  father  was  par- 
ticularly solicitous  in  regard  to  them,  and 
rising  up  offered  sacrifices  in  their  behalf, 
fearing  lest  they  might  have  committed  secret 
sins;  and  no  consideration  was  more  impor- 
tant in  his  esteem  than  this.  Not  only  the 
virtue  of  the  children  is  thus  shown,  but  also 
the  affectionate  spirit  of  the  father.  Since, 
therefore,  the  father  was  so  affectionate,  show- 
ing not  only  a  love  for  them  which  proceeded 
from  nature,  but  that  also  which  came  from 
their  piety,  and  since  the  departed  were  thus 
virtuous,  the  anguish  had  a  threefold  in- 
tensity. Still  further ;  when  children  are  torn 
away  separately,  the  suffering  has  some  con- 
solation; for  those  that  are  left  alleviate  the 
sorrow  over  the  departed ;  but  when  the  whole 

38 


CHRYSOSTOM 


circle  is  gone,  to  what  one  of  all  his  numer- 
ous children  can  the  childless  man  now  look? 

Besides  these  causes  of  sorrow,  there  was 
a  fifth  stroke.  What  was  that?  That  they 
were  all  snatched  away  at  once.  For  if  in  the 
case  of  those  who  die  after  three  or  five  days  of 
sickness,  the  women  and  all  the  relatives  be- 
wail this  most  of  all,  that  the  deceased  was 
taken  away  from  their  sight  speedily  and  sud- 
denly, much  more  might  he  have  been  dis- 
trest,  when  thus  deprived  of  all,  not  in 
three  days,  or  two,  or  one,  but  in  one  hour! 
For  a  calamity  long  contemplated,  even  if 
it  be  hard  to  bear,  may  fall  more  lightly 
through  this  anticipation ;  but  that  which  hap- 
pens contrary  to  expectation  and  suddenly 
is  intolerable. 

Would  you  hear  of  a  sixth  stroke?  He 
lost  them  all  in  the  very  flower  of  their  age. 
You  know  how  very  overwhelming  are  un- 
timely bereavements,  and  productive  of 
grief  on  many  scores.  The  instance  we  are 
contemplating  was  not  only  untimely,  but 
also  violent ;  so  that  here  was  a  seventh  stroke. 
For  their  father  did  not  see  them  expire  on 
a  bed,  but  they  are  all  overwhelmed  by  the 
falling  habitation.  Consider  then ;  a  man  was 
digging  in  that  pile  of  ruins,  and  now  he 
drew  up  a  stone,  and  now  a  limb  of  a  deceased 
one;  he  saw  a  hand  still  holding  a  cup,  and 
another  right  hand  placed  on  the  table,  and 
the  mutilated  form  of  a  body,  the  nose  torn 

39 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

away,  the  head  crusht,  the  eyes  put  out,  the 
brain  scattered,  the  whole  frame  marred, 
and  the  variety  of  wounds  not  permitting  the 
father  to  recognize  the  beloved  countenances. 
You  suffer  emotions  and  shed  tears  at  merely 
hearing  of  these  things:  what  must  he  have 
endured  at  the  sight  of  them  ?  For  if  we,  so 
long  after  the  event,  can  not  bear  to  hear 
of  this  tragedy,  tho  it  was  another  man's 
calamity,  what  an  adamant  was  he  to  look 
on  these  things,  and  contemplate  them,  not 
as  another's,  but  his  own  afflictions!  He  did 
not  give  way  to  dejection,  nor  ask,  "What 
does  this  mean?  Is  this  the  recompense  for 
my  kindness?  Was  it  for  this  that  I  opened 
my  house,  that  I  might  see  it  made  the  grave 
of  my  children?  Did  I  for  this  exhibit  every 
parental  virtue,  that  they  should  endure  such 
a  death?"  No  such  things  did  he  speak,  or 
even  think ;  but  steadily  bore  all,  tho  bereaved 
of  them  after  bestowing  on  them  so  much 
care.  For  as  an  accomplished  statuary  fra- 
ming golden  images  adorns  them  with  great 
care,  so  he  sought  properly  to  mold  and  adorn 
their  souls.  And  as  a  husbandman  as- 
siduously waters  his  palm-trees,  or  olives,  in- 
closing them  and  cultivating  them  in  every 
suitable  way;  so  he  perpetually  sought  to  en- 
rich each  one's  soul,  as  a  fruitful  olive,  with 
increasing  virtue.  But  he  saw  the  trees  over- 
thrown by  the  assault  of  the  evil  spirit,  and 
exposed  on  the  earth,  and  enduring  that  mis- 

40 


CHRYSOSTOM 


erable  kind  of  death;  yet  he  uttered  no  re- 
viling word,  but  rather  blest  God,  thus 
giving  a  deadly  blow  to  the  devil. 

Should  you  say  that  Job  had  many  sons, 
but  that  others  have  frequently  lost  their 
only  sons,  and  that  his  cause  of  sorrow  was 
not  equal  to  theirs,  you  say  well ;  but  I  reply, 
that  Job 's  cause  of  sorrow  was  not  only  equal, 
but  far  greater.  For  of  what  advantage  was 
it  to  him  that  he  had  many  children  ?  It  was 
a  severer  calamity  and  a  more  bitter  grief 
to  receive  the  wound  in  many  bodies. 

Still,  if  you  wish  to  see  another  holy  man 
having  an  only  son,  and  showing  the  same 
and  even  greater  fortitude,  call  to  mind  the 
patriarch  Abraham,  who  did  not  indeed  see 
Isaac  die,  but,  what  was  much  more  painful, 
was  himself  commanded  to  slay  him,  and  did 
not  question  the  command,  nor  repine  at  it, 
nor  say,  "Is  it  for  this  thou  hast  made  me 
a  father,  that  thou  shouldest  make  me  the 
slayer  of  my  son  ?  Better  it  would  have  been 
not  to  give  him  at  all,  than  having  given  him 
thus  to  take  him  away.  And  if  thou  choosest 
to  take  him,  why  dost  thou  command  me  to 
slay  him  and  to  pollute  my  right  hand? 
Didst  thou  not  promise  me  that  from  this 
son  thou  wouldst  fill  the  earth  with  my 
descendants?  How  wilt  thou  give  the  fruits, 
then,  if  thou  pluck  up  the  root?  How  dost 
thou  promise  me  a  posterity,  and  yet  order 
me  to  slay  my  son?  "Who  ever  saw  such 

41 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

things,  or  heard  of  the  like?  I  am  deceived; 
I  have  been  deluded."  No  such  thing  did 
he  say,  or  even  think ;  he  said  nothing  against 
the  command,  he  did  not  ask  the  reasons ;  but 
hearing  the  Word — "Take  thy  son,  thine 
only  son  whom  thou  lovest,  and  carry  him 
up  to  one  of  the  mountains  which  I  shall 
show  thee,"  he  complied  so  readily  as  even 
to  do  more  than  was  commanded.  For  he 
concealed  the  matter  from  his  wife,  and  he 
left  the  servants  at  the  foot  of  the  Mount  in 
ignorance  of  what  was  to  be  done,  and  as- 
cended, taking  only  the  victim.  Thus  not 
unwillingly,  but  with  promptness,  he  obeyed 
the  command.  Think  now  what  it  was,  to 
be  conversing  alone  with  his  son,  apart  from 
all  others,  when  the  affections  are  the  more 
fervently  excited,  and  attachment  becomes 
stronger;  and  this  not  for  one,  or  two,  but 
for  several  days.  To  obey  the  command 
speedily  would  have  been  wonderful;  but 
not  so  wonderful  as,  while  his  heart  was 
burdened  and  agitated  for  many  days,  to 
avoid  indulging  in  human  tenderness  toward 
his  son.  On  this  account  God  appointed  for 
him  a  more  extended  arena,  and  a  longer  race- 
course, that  thou  mightest  the  more  carefully 
observe  his  combatant.  A  combatant  he  was 
indeed,  contending  not  against  a  man,  but 
against  the  force  of  nature.  What  language 
can  describe  his  fortitude?  He  brought  for- 
ward his  son,  bound  him,  placed  him  on  the 

42 


CHRYSOSTOM 


wood,  seized  the  sacrificial  knife,  was  just 
on  the  point  of  dealing  the  stroke.  In 
what  manner  to  express  myself  properly,  I 
know  not;  he  only  would  know,  who  did 
these  things.  For  no  language  can  describe 
how  it  happened  that  his  hand  did  not  be- 
come torpid,  that  the  strength  of  his  nerves 
did  not  relax,  that  the  affecting  sight  of  his 
son  did  not  overpower  him. 

It  is  proper  here,  too,  to  admire  Isaac.  For 
as  the  one  obeyed  God,  so  did  the  other 
obey  his  father;  and  as  the  one,  at  God's 
bidding  him  to  sacrifice,  did  not  demand  an 
account  of  the  matter,  so  the  other,  when  his 
father  was  binding  him  and  leading  him  to 
the  altar,  did  not  say,  "Why  art  thou  doing 
this?" — but  surrendered  himself  to  his 
father's  hand.  And  then  was  to  be  seen  a 
man  uniting  in  his  own  person  the  father  and 
the  sacrificing  priest;  and  a  sacrifice  offered 
without  blood,  a  whole  burnt  offering  without 
fire,  an  altar  representing  a  type  of  death  and 
the  resurrection.  For  he  both  sacrificed  his 
son  and  he  did  not  sacrifice  him.  He  did  not 
sacrifice  him  with  his  hand,  but  in  his  pur- 
pose. For  God  gave  the  command,  not 
through  desire  to  see  the  flowing  of  the 
blood,  but  to  give  you  a  specimen  of  steady 
purpose,  to  make  known  throughout  the  world 
this  worthy  man,  and  to  instruct  all  in 
coming  time  that  it  is  necessary  to  prefer 
the  command  of  God  before  children  and 

43 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

nature,  before  all  things,  and  even  life  it- 
self. And  so  Abraham  descended  from  the 
Mount,  bringing  alive  the  martyr  Isaac.  How 
can  we  be  pardoned  then,  tell  me,  or  what 
apology  can  we  have,  if  we  see  that  noble 
man  obeying  God  with  so  much  prompt- 
ness and  submitting  to  Him  in  all  things, 
and  yet  we  murmur  at  His  dispensations? 
Tell  me  not  of  grief,  nor  of  the  intol- 
erable nature  of  your  calamity;  rather  con- 
sider how  in  the  midst  of  bitter  sorrow  you 
may  yet  rise  superior  to  it.  That  which 
was  commanded  to  Abraham  was  enough  to 
stagger  his  reason,  to  throw  him  into  per- 
plexity, and  to  undermine  his  faith  in  the 
past.  For  who  would  not  have  then  thought 
that  the  promise  which  had  been  made  him  of 
a  numerous  posterity  was  all  a  deception? 
But  not  so  Abraham.  And  not  less  ought  we 
to  admire  Job 's  wisdom  in  calamity ;  and  par- 
ticularly, that  after  so  much  virtue,  after 
his  alms  and  various  acts  of  kindness  to  men, 
and  tho  aware  of  no  wrong  either  in  him- 
self or  his  children,  yet  experiencing  so  much 
affliction,  affliction  so  singular,  such  as  had 
never  happened  even  to  the  most  desperately 
wicked,  still  he  was  not  affected  by  it  as  most 
men  would  have  been,  nor  did  he  regard  his 
virtue  as  profitless,  nor  form  any  ill-advised 
opinion  concerning  the  past. 

By  these  two  examples,  then,  we  ought  not 
only  to  admire  virtue,  but  to  emulate   and 

44 


CHRYSOSTOM 


imitate  it.  And  let  no  one  say  these  were 
wonderful  men.  True,  they  were  wonderful 
and  great  men.  But  we  are  now  required  to 
have  more  wisdom  than  they,  and  than  all 
who  lived  under  the  Old  Testament.  For 
' '  except  your  righteousness  exceed  that  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees,  ye  shall  not  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  heaven. ' '  Gathering  wisdom, 
then,  from  all  quarters,  and  considering  what 
we  are  told  concerning  a  resurrection  and 
concerning  these  holy  men,  let  us  frequently 
recite  it  to  our  souls,  not  only  when  we  are 
actually  in  sorrow,  but  also  while  we  are  free 
from  distress.  For  I  have  now  addrest  you 
on  this  subject,  tho  no  one  is  in  particular 
affliction,  that  when  we  shall  fall  into  any  such 
calamity,  we  may,  from  the  remembrance  of 
what  has  been  said,  obtain  requisite  consola- 
tion. As  soldiers,  even  in  peace,  perform  war- 
like exercises,  so  that  when  actually  called 
to  battle  and  the  occasion  makes  a  demand 
for  skill,  they  may  avail  themselves  of  the 
art  which  they  have  cultivated  in  peace;  so 
let  us,  in  time  of  peace,  furnish  ourselves 
with  weapons  and  remedies,  that  whenever 
there  shall  burst  on  us  a  war  of  unreasonable 
passions,  or  grief,  or  pain,  or  any  such  thing, 
we  may,  well  armed  and  secure  on  all  sides, 
repel  the  assaults  of  the  evil  one  with  all 
skill,  and  wall  ourselves  round  with  right 
contemplations,  with  the  declarations  of  God, 
with  the  examples  of  good  men,  and  with 

45 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

every  possible  defense.  For  so  shall  we  be 
able  to  pass  the  present  life  with  happiness, 
and  to  attain  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  be  glory  and 
dominion,  together  with  the  Father  and  the 
Holy  Spirit,  forever  and  ever.  Amen. 


46 


AUGUSTINE 

THE    RECOVERY    OF    SIGHT    BY    THE 
BLIND 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTE 

SAINT  AUGUSTINE  (Aurelius  Augustinus), 
one  of  the  greatest  theological  fathers  of 
the  Church,  was  born  at  Tagaste,  354  A.D., 
and  became  devoted  to  the  study  of 
Cicero.  As  a  Manichean  he  occasioned 
great  anxiety  to  his  mother  Monica. 
Eventually  embracing  Christianity,  he 
was  baptized  by  Ambrose  of  Milan  (387), 
on  which  occasion,  tradition  says,  the  Te 
Deum  was  composed  by  himself  and  his 
baptizer.  Appointed  to  the  See  of  Hippo 
in  395,  he  threw  himself  into  the  conflict 
against  heresy  and  schism,  his  principal 
opponents  being  the  Donatists  and  Pela- 
gians. His  sermons,  powerful  as  they 
are,  disappoint  the  modern  reader  by 
their  fantastic  and  allegorical  interpreta- 
tion of  Scripture,  but  his  ' '  Confessions, ' ' 
in  which  he  details  the  history  of  his 
early  life  and  conversion,  present  a  won- 
derful picture  of  personal  experience.  He 
is  styled  by  Harnack  "the  first  modern 
man."  He  died  at  Hippo  in  430. 


AUGUSTINE 

354—430 

THE    RECOVERY    OF    SIGHT    BY    THE 
BLIND 

Save  mercy  on  us,   0   Lord,   thou    son    of  David. — 
Matt,  xx.,  30. 

I  YE  know,  holy  brethren,  full  well  as 
we  do,  that  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus 
*  Christ  is  the  physician  of  our  eternal 
health ;  and  that  to  this  end  we  task  the  weak- 
ness of  our  natures,  that  our  weakness  might 
not  last  forever.  For  He  assumed  a  mortal 
body,  wherein  to  kill  death.  And,  "though 
He  was  crucified  through  weakness,"  as  the 
apostle  saith,  yet  He  "liveth  by  the  power  of 
God."  They  are  the  words,  too,  of  the  same 
apostle:  "He  dieth  no  more,  death  hath  no 
more  dominion  over  Him."  These  things,  I 
say,  are  well  known  to  your  faith.  And  there 
is  also  this  which  follows  from  them,  that 
we  should  know  that  all  the  miracles  which 
He  did  on  the  body  avail  to  our  instruction, 
that  we  may  from  them  perceive  that  which 
is  not  to  pass  away,  nor  to  have  any  end. 
He  restored  to  the  blind  those  eyes  which 
death  was  suro  some  time  to  close;  He  raised 
Lazarus  to  life  who  was  to  die  again.  And 

1—4  49 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

whatever  He  did  for  the  health  of  bodies,  He 
did  it  not  to  this  end  that  they  should  be  for- 
ever ;  whereas,  at  the  last,  He  will  give  eternal 
health  even  to  the  body  itself.  But  because 
those  things  which  were  not  seen  were  not 
believed;  by  means  of  those  temporal  things 
which  were  seen,  He  built  up  faith  in  those 
things  which  were  not  seen. 

II.  Let  no  one  then,  brethren,  say  that  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  doeth  not  those  things  now, 
and  on  this  account  prefer  the  former  to  the 
present  ages  of  the  Church.  In  a  certain 
place,  indeed,  the  same  Lord  prefers  those 
who  do  not  see  and  yet  believe  to  them  who 
see  and  therefore  believe.  For  even  at  that 
time  so  irresolute  was  the  infirmity  of  His 
disciples  that  they  thought  that  He  whom 
they  saw  to  have  risen  again  must  be  handled, 
in  order  that  they  might  believe.  It  was 
not  enough  for  their  eyes  that  they  had  seen 
Him,  unless  their  hands  also  were  applied 
to  His  limbs,  and  the  scars  of  His  recent 
wounds  were  touched:  that  this  disciple,  who 
was  in  doubt,  might  cry  suddenly  when  he 
had  touched  and  recognized  the  scars,  "My 
Lord  and  my  God."  The  scars  manifested 
Him  who  had  healed  all  wounds  in  others. 
Could  not  the  Lord  have  risen  again  without 
scars?  Yes,  but  He  knew  the  wounds  which 
were  in  the  hearts  of  His  disciples,  and  to 
heal  them  He  had  preserved  the  scars  on  His 
own  body.  And  what  said  the  Lord  to  him 

50 


AUGUSTINE 


who  now  confest  and  said,  "My  lord,  and 
my  God?"  "Because  thou  hast  seen,"  He 
said,  "thou  hast  believed;  blessed  are  they 
who  have  not  seen,  and  yet  have  believed." 
Of  whom  spake  He,  brethren,  but  of  us? 
Not  that  He  spoke  only  of  us,  but  of  those 
also  who  shall  come  after  us.  For  a  little 
while  when  He  had  departed  from  the  sight 
of  men,  that  faith  might  be  established  in 
their  hearts,  whosoever  believed,  believed 
tho  they  saw  Him  not,  and  great  has  been  the 
merit  of  their  faith;  for  the  procuring  of 
which  faith  they  brought  only  the  movement 
of  a  pious  heart,  and  not  the  touching  of  their 
hands. 

III.  These  things,  then,  the  Lord  did  to 
invite  us  to  the  faith.  This  faith  reigneth 
now  in  the  Church,  which  is  spread  through- 
out the  whole  world.  And  now,  He  worketh 
greater  cures,  on  account  of  which  He  dis- 
dained not  then  to  exhibit  those  lesser  ones. 
For  as  the  soul  is  better  than  the  body,  so  is 
the  saving  health  of  the  soul  better  than  the 
health  of  the  body.  The  blind  body  doth  not 
now  open  its  eyes  by  a  miracle  of  the  Lord, 
but  the  blinded  heart  openeth  its  eyes  to  the 
word  of  the  Lord.  The  mortal  corpse  doth 
not  now  rise  again,  but  the  soul  doth  rise 
again  which  lay  dead  in  a  living  body.  The 
deaf  ears  of  the  body  are  not  now  opened; 
but  how  many  have  the  ears  of  their  heart 
closed,  which  yet  fly  open  at  the  penetrating 

51 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

word  of  God,  so  that  they  believe  who  did  not 
believe,  and  they  live  well  who  did  live  evilly, 
and  they  obey  who  did  not  obey ;  and  we  say, 
"such  a  man  is  become  a  believer,"  and  we 
wonder  when  we  hear  of  them  whom  once 
we  had  known  as  hardened.  Why,  then,  dost 
thou  marvel  at  one  who  now  believes,  who  is 
living  innocently,  and  serving  God,  but  be- 
cause thou  dost  behold  him  seeing,  whom  thou 
hadst  known  to  be  blind;  dost  behold  him 
living  whom  thou  hast  known  to  be  dead; 
dost  behold  him  hearing  whom  thou  hadst 
known  to  be  deaf?  For  consider  that  there 
are  those  who  are  dead  in  another  than  the 
ordinary  sense,  of  whom  the  Lord  spoke  to 
a  certain  man  who  delayed  to  follow  the  Lord, 
because  he  wished  to  bury  his  father;  "Let 
the  dead,"  said  He,  "bury  their  dead." 
Surely  these  dead  buriers  are  not  dead  in 
body ;  for  if  this  were  so,  they  could  not  bury 
dead  bodies.  Yet  doth  He  call  them  dead; 
where  but  in  the  soul  within  ?  For  as  we  may 
often  see  in  a  household,  itself  sound  and  well, 
the  master  of  the  same  house  lying  dead;  so 
in  a  sound  body  do  many  carry  a  dead  soul 
within;  and  these  the  apostle  arouses  thus, 
"Awake,  thou  that  sleepest,  and  arise  from 
the  dead,  and  Christ  shall  give  thee  light." 
It  is  the  same  who  giveth  sight  to  the  blind 
that  awakeneth  the  dead.  For  it  is  with  His 
voice  that  the  cry  is  made  by  the  apostle  to 
the  dead.  "Awake  thou  that  sleepest."  And 

52 


AUGUSTINE 


the  blind  will  be  enlightened  with  light,  when 
he  shall  have  risen  again.  And  how  many 
deaf  men  did  the  Lord  see  before  His  eyes, 
when  He  said,  "He  that  hath  ears  to  hear 
let  him  hear."  For  who  was  standing  before 
Him  without  his  bodily  ears?  What  other 
ears,  then,  did  He  seek  for,  but  those  of  the 
inner  man? 

IV.  Again,  what  eyes  did  He  look  for  when 
He  spake  to  those  who  saw  indeed,  but  who 
saw  only  with  the  eyes  of  the  flesh?  For 
when  Philip  said  to  Him,  "Lord,  show  us 
the  Father  and  it  sufficeth  us":  he  under- 
stood, indeed,  that  if  the  Father  were  shown 
him,  it  might  well  suffice  him;  when  He  that 
was  equal  to  the  Father  had  sufficed  not? 
And  why  did  He  not  suffice?  Because  He 
was  not  seen.  And  why  was  He  not  seen? 
Because  the  eye  whereby  He  might  be  seen 
was  not  yet  whole.  For  this,  namely,  that 
the  Lord  was  seen  in  the  flesh  with  the  out- 
ward eyes,  not  only  the  disciples  who  honored 
Him  saw,  but  also  the  Jews  who  crucified 
Him.  He,  then,  who  wished  to  be  seen  in 
another  way,  sought  for  other  eyes.  And, 
therefore,  it  was  that  to  him  who  said, 
"Show  us  the  Father,  and  it  sufficeth  us," 
He  answered,  "Have  I  been  so  long  time 
with  you,  and  yet  hast  thou  not  known  Me, 
Philip?  He  who  hath  seen  Me  hath  seen  the 
Father  also."  And  that  He  might  in  the 
meanwhile  heal  the  eyes  of  faith,  He  has  first 

53 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

of  all  given  him  instructions  regarding  faith, 
that  so  he  might  attain  to  sight.  And  lest 
Philip  should  think  that  he  was  to  conceive 
of  God  under  the  same  form  in  which  he  then 
saw  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  body,  he 
immediately  subjoined,  "Believest  thou  not 
that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in 
me?"  He  had  already  said,  "He  who  hath 
seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father  also."  But 
Philip's  eye  was  not  yet  sound  enough  to  see 
the  Father,  nor,  consequently,  to  see  the  Son, 
who  is  Himself  coequal  with  the  Father. 
And  so  Jesus  Christ  took  in  hand  to  cure, 
and  with  the  medicine  and  salve  of  faith  to 
strengthen  the  eyes  of  his  mind,  which  as 
yet  were  weak  and  unable  to  behold  so  great 
a  light,  and  He  said,  "Believest  thou  not 
that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in 
Me?"  Let  not  him,  then,  who  can  not  yet 
see  what  the  Lord  will  one  day  show  him, 
seek  first  to  see  what  he  is  to  believe;  but 
let  him  first  believe  that  the  eye  by  which 
he  is  to  see  may  be  healed.  For  it  was  only 
the  form  of  the  servant  which  was  exhibited 
to  the  eyes  of  servants;  because  if  "He  who 
thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God ' ' 
could  have  been  now  seen  as  equal  with  God 
by  those  whom  He  wished  to  be  healed,  He 
would  not  have  needed  to  empty  Himself  and 
to  take  the  form  of  a  servant.  But  because 
there  was  no  way  whereby  God  could  be  seen, 
but  whereby  man  could  be  seen  there  was; 

54 


AUGUSTINE 


therefore,  He  who  was  God  was  made  man, 
that  that  which  was  seen  might  heal  that 
whereby  He  was  not  seen.  For  He  saith 
Himself  in  another  place,  "Blessed  are  the 
pure  in  heart,  for  they  shall  see  God." 
Philip  might,  of  course,  have  answered  and 
said,  Lord,  do  I  see  Thee?  Is  the  Father 
such  as  I  see  Thee  to  be?  Forasmuch  as 
Thou  hast  said,  "He  who  hath  seen  Me  hath 
seen  the  Father  also?"  But  before  Philip 
answered  thus,  or  perhaps  before  he  so  much 
as  thought  it,  when  the  Lord  had  said,  "He 
who  hath  seen  Me  hath  seen  the  Father  also, ' ' 
He  immediately  added,  "Believest  thou  not 
that  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the  Father  in 
me?"  For  with  that  eye  he  could  not  yet 
see  either  the  Father,  or  the  Son  who  is  equal 
with  the  Father;  but  that  his  eye  might  be 
healed  for  seeing,  he  was  anointed  unto  be- 
lieving. So,  then,  before  thou  seest  what 
thou  canst  not  now  see,  believe  what  as  yet 
thou  seest  not.  "Walk  by  faith,"  that  thou 
mayest  attain  to  sight.  Sight  will  not  glad- 
den him  in  his  home  whom  faith  consoleth 
not  by  the  way.  For,  so  says  the  apostle, 
"As  long  as  we  are  in  the  body  we  are  absent 
from  the  Lord."  And  he  subjoins  imme- 
diately why  we  are  still  "absent  or  in  pil- 
grimage," tho  we  have  now  believed;  "For 
we  walk  by  faith,"  he  says;  "not  by  sight." 
V.  Our  whole  business,  then,  brethren,  in 
this  life  is  to  heal  this  eye  of  the  heart 

55 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

whereby  God  may  be  seen.  To  this  end  are 
celebrated  the  Holy  Mysteries;  to  this  end 
is  preached  the  Word  of  God;  to  this  end  are 
the  moral  exhortations  of  the  Church,  those, 
that  is,  that  relate  to  the  corrections  of  man- 
ners, to  the  amendment  of  carnal  lusts,  to 
the  renouncing  the  world,  not  in  word  only, 
but  in  a  change  of  life :  to  this  end  is  directed 
the  whole  aim  of  the  Divine  and  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, that  that  inner  man  may  be  purged 
of  that  which  hinders  us  from  the  sight  of 
God.  For  as  the  eye  which  is  formed  to  see 
this  temporal  light,  a  light  tho  heavenly  yet 
corporeal,  and  manifest,  not  to  men  only,  but 
even  to  the  meanest  animals  (for  this  the 
eye  is  formed  to  this  light)  ;  if  anything  be 
thrown  or  falls  into  it,  whereby  it  is  disor- 
dered, is  shut  out  from  this  light;  and  tho  it 
encompasses  the  eye  with  its  presence,  yet 
the  eye  turns  itself  away  from,  and  is  absent 
from  it;  and  tho  its  disordered  condition  is 
not  only  rendered  absent  from  the  light 
which  is  present,  but  the  light  to  see  which 
it  was  formed  is  even  painful  to  it,  so  the 
eye  of  the  heart  too,  when  it  is  disordered 
and  wounded,  turns  away  from  the  light  of 
righteousness,  and  dares  not  and  can  not 
contemplate  it. 

VI.  And  what  is  it  that  disorders  the  eye 
of  the  heart?  Evil  desire,  covetousness,  in- 
justice,  worldly  concupiscence;  these  disor- 
der, close,  blind  the  eye  of  the  heart.  And 

56 


AUGUSTINE 


yet,  when  the  eye  of  the  body  is  out  of  order, 
how  is  the  physician  sought  out,  what  an  ab- 
sence of  all  delay  to  open  and  cleanse  it,  that 
they  may  be  healed  whereby  this  outward 
light  is  seen!  There  is  running  to  and  fro, 
no  one  is  still,  no  one  loiters,  if  even  -the 
smallest  straw  fall  into  the  eye.  And  God, 
it  must  be  allowed,  made  the  sun  which  we 
desire  to  see  with  sound  eyes.  Much  brighter, 
assuredly,  is  He  who  made  it;  nor  is  the 
light  with  which  the  eye  of  the  mind  is  con- 
cerned of  this  kind  at  all.  That  light  is 
eternal  wisdom.  God  made  thee,  0  man, 
after  His  own  image.  Would  He  give  thee 
wherewithal  to  see  the  sun  which  He  made, 
and  not  give  thee  wherewithal  to  see  Him  who 
made  thee,  when  He  made  thee  after  His  own 
image?  He  hath  given  thee  this  also;  both 
hath  He  given  thee.  But  much  thou  dost 
love  these  outward  eyes,  and  despisest  much 
that  interior  eye;  it  thou  dost  carry  about 
bruised  and  wounded.  Yea,  it  would  be  a 
punishment  to,  if  thy  Maker  should  wish  to 
manifest  Himself  unto  thee,  it  would  be  a 
punishment  to  thine  eye,  before  that  it  is 
cured  and  healed.  For  so  Adam  in  Paradise 
sinned,  and  hid  himself  from  the  face  of  God. 
As  long,  then,  as  he  had  the  sound  heart  of 
a  pure  conscience,  he  rejoiced  at  the  pres- 
ence of  God;  when  that  eye  was  wounded 
by  sin,  he  began  to  dread  the  divine  light, 
he  fled  back  into  the  darkness,  and  the  thick 

57 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT  SERMONS 

covert  of  trees,  flying  from  the  truth,  and 
anxious  for  the  shade. 

VII.  Therefore,  my  brethren,  since  we  too 
are  born  of  him,  and  as  the  apostle  says,  "In 
Adam  all  die";  for  we  were  all  at  first  two 
persons ;  if  we  were  loath  to  obey  the  physician, 
that  we  might  not  be  sick;  let  us  obey  Him 
now,  that  we  may  be  delivered  from  sickness. 
The  Physician  gave  us  precepts,  when  we  were 
whole;  He  gave  us  precepts  that  we  might 
not  need  a  physician.  "They  that  are 
whole,"  He  saith,  "need  not  a  physician, 
but  they  that  are  sick. ' '  When  whole,  we  de- 
spised these  precepts,  and  by  experience  have 
felt  how  to  our  own  destruction  we  despised 
His  precepts.  Now  we  are  sick,  we  are  in  dis- 
tress, we  are  on  the  bed  of  weakness;  yet  let 
us  not  despair.  For  because  we  could  not 
come  to  the  Physician,  He  hath  vouchsafed 
to  come  Himself  to  us.  Tho  despised  by  man 
when  he  was  whole,  He  did  not  despise  him 
when  he  was  stricken.  He  did  not  leave  off 
to  give  other  precepts  to  the  weak,  who  would 
not  keep  the  first  precepts,  that  he  might  not 
be  weak;  as  tho  He  would  say,  ''Assuredly 
thou  hast  by  experience  felt  that  I  spoke  the 
truth  when  I  said,  Touch  not  this.  Be 
healed  then  now,  at  length,  and  recover  the 
life  thou  hast  lost.  Lo,  I  am  bearing  thine 
infirmity;  drink  then  the  bitter  cup.  For 
thou  hast  of  thine  own  self  made  those  my 
so  sweet  precepts,  which  were  given  to  thee 

58 


AUGUSTINE 


when  whole,  so  toilsome.  They  were  despised, 
and  so  thy  distress  began;  cured  thou  canst 
not  be,  except  thou  drink  the  bitter  cup,  the 
cup  of  temptations,  wherein  this  life  abounds, 
the  cup  of  tribulation,  anguish,  and  suffer- 
ing. Drink  then,"  He  says,  "drink,  that 
thou  mayest  live."  And  that  the  sick  man 
may  not  make  answer,  "I  can  not,  I  can 
not  bear  it,  I  will  not  drink ' ' ;  the  Physician, 
all  wrhole  tho  He  be,  drinketh  first,  that 
the  sick  man  may  not  hesitate  to  drink.  For 
what  bitterness  is  there  in  this  cup  which 
He  hath  not  drunk?  If  it  be  contumely,  He 
heard  it  first  when  He  drove  out  the  devils. 
"He  hath  a  devil,  and  by  Beelzebub  He 
casteth  out  devils."  Whereupon,  in  order 
to  comfort  the  sick,  He  saith,  "If  they  have 
called  the  Master  of  the  house  Beelzebub,  how 
much  more  shall  they  call  them  of  His  house- 
hold?" If  pains  are  this  bitter  cup,  He  was 
bound,  and  scourged,  and  crucified.  If  death 
be  this  bitter  cup,  He  died  also.  If  infirmity 
shrink  with  horror  from  any  particular  kind 
of  death,  none  was  at 'that  time  more  igno- 
minious than  the  death  of  the  cross.  For 
it  was  not  in  vain  that  the  apostle,  when  set- 
ting forth  His  obedience,  added,  "He  became 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross. ' ' 

VIII.  But  because  He  designed  to  honor 
His  faithful  ones  at  the  end  of  the  world, 
He  hath  first  honored  the  cross  in  this  world ; 

59 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

in  such  wise  that  the  princes  of  the  earth  who 
believe  in  Him  have  prohibited  any  criminal 
from  being  crucified ;  and  that  cross  which  the 
Jewish  persecutors  with  great  mockery  pre- 
pared for  the  Lord,  even  kings,  His  servants, 
at  this  day,  bear  with  great  confidence  on 
their  foreheads.  Only  the  shameful  nature 
of  the  death  which  our  Lord  vouchsafed  to 
undergo  for  us  is  not  now  so  apparent,  Who, 
as  the  apostle  says,  "Was  made  a  curse  for 
us."  And  when,  as  He  hung,  the  blindness 
of  the  Jews  mocked  Him,  surely  He  could 
have  come  down  from  the  cross,  who,  if  He 
had  not  so  willed,  had  not  been  on  the  cross ; 
but  it  was  a  greater  thing  to  rise  from  the 
grave  than  to  come  down  from  the  cross. 
Our  Lord,  then,  in  doing  these  divine  and 
in  suffering  these  human  things,  instructs  us 
by  His  bodily  miracles  and  bodily  patience, 
that  we  may  believe  and  be  made  whole  to 
behold  those  things  invisible  which  the  eye 
of  the  body  hath  no  knowledge  of.  With  this 
intent,  then,  He  cured  those  blind  men  of 
whom  the  account  has  just  now  been  read  in 
the  Gospel.  And  consider  what  instruction 
He  has  by  this  cure  conveyed  to  the  man  who 
is  sick  within. 

IX.  Consider  the  issue  of  the  thing,  and 
the  order  of  the  circumstances.  Those  two 
blind  men  sitting  by  the  wayside  cried  out, 
as  the  Lord  passed  by,  that  He  would  have 
mercy  upon  them.  But  they  were  restrained 

60 


AUGUSTINE 


from  crying  out  by  the  multitude  which  was 
with  the  Lord.  Now  do  not  suppose  that  this 
circumstance  is  left  without  a  mysterious 
meaning.  But  they  overcame  the  crowd  who 
kept  them  back  by  the  great  perseverance  of 
their  cry,  that  their  voice  might  reach  the 
Lord's  ears;  as  tho  he  had  not  already  an- 
ticipated their  thoughts.  So  then  the  two 
blind  men  cried  out  that  they  might  be  heard 
by  the  Lord,  and  could  not  be  restrained  by 
the  multitude.  The  Lord  "was  passing  by," 
and  they  cried  out.  The  Lord  "stood  still," 
and  they  were  healed.  "For  the  Lord  Jesus 
stood  still,  and  called  them,  and  said,  What 
wilt  ye  that  I  shall  do  unto  you  ?  They  say  unto 
Him,  That  our  eyes  may  be  opened. ' '  The  Lord 
did  according  to  their  faith,  He  recovered 
their  eyes.  If  we  have  now  understood  by  the 
sick,  the  deaf,  the  dead,  the  sick,  and  deaf, 
and  dead  within ;  let  us  look  out  in  this  place 
also  for  the  blind  within.  The  eyes  of  the 
heart  are  closed ;  Jesus  passeth  by  that  we  may 
cry  out.  What  is  meant  by  "Jesus  passeth 
by  ?  "  Jesus  is  doing  things  which  last  but  for 
a  time.  What  is  meant  by ' '  Jesus  passeth  by  ? " 
Jesus  doth  things  which  pass  by.  Mark  and 
see  how  many  things  of  His  have  passed  by. 
He  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary;  is  He  be- 
ing born  always?  As  an  infant  He  was 
suckled;  is  He  suckled  always?  He  ran 
through  the  successive  ages  of  life  until  man 's 
full  estate;  doth  He  grow  in  body  always? 

61 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

Boyhood  succeeded  to  infancy,  to  boyhood 
youth,  to  youth  man's  full  stature  in  several 
passing  successions.  Even  the  very  miracles 
which  He  did  are  passed  by;  they  are  read 
and  believed.  For  because  these  miracles  are 
written  that  so  they  might  be  read,  they 
passed  by  when  they  were  being  done.  In 
a  word,  not  to  dwell  long  on  this,  He  was 
crucified;  is  He  hanging  on  the  cross  always? 
He  was  buried,  He  rose  again,  He  ascended 
into  heaven,  now  He  dieth  no  more,  death 
hath  no  more  dominion  over  Him.  And  His 
divinity  abideth  ever,  yea,  the  immortality 
of  His  body  now  shall  never  fail.  But  never- 
theless all  those  things  which  were  wrought 
by  Him  in  time  have  passed  by ;  and  they  are 
written  to  be  read,  and  they  are  preached  to 
be  believed.  In  all  these  things,  then,  Jesus 
passeth  by. 

X.  And  what  are  the  two  blind  men  by  the 
wayside  but  the  two  people  to  cure  whom 
Jesus  came?  Let  us  show  these  two  people 
in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  It  is  written  in  the 
Gospel,  "Other  sheep  I  have  which  are  not 
of  this  fold;  them  also  must  I  bring,  that 
there  may  be  one  fold  and  one  Shepherd." 
Who  then  are  the  two  people?  One  the 
people  of  the  Jews,  and  the  other  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. "I  am  not  sent,"  He  saith,  "but  unto 
the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel."  To 
whom  did  He  say  this?  To  the  disciples; 
when  that  woman  of  Canaan,  who  confest 

62 


AUGUSTINE 


herself  to  be  a  dog,  cried  out  that  she  might 
be  found  worthy  of  the  crumbs  from  the 
Master's  table.  And  because  she  was  found 
worthy,  now  were  the  two  people  to  whom 
He  had  come  made  manifest,  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple, to  wit,  of  whom  He  said,  "I  am  not  sent 
but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Is- 
rael"; and  the  people  of  the  Gentiles,  whose 
type  this  woman  exhibited,  whom  He  had 
first  rejected,  saying,  "It  is  not  meet  to  cast 
the  children's  bread  to  the  dogs";  and  to 
whom,  when  she  said,  ''Truth,  Lord,  yet  the 
dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  which  fall  from  their 
master's  table,"  He  answered,  "0  woman, 
great  is  thy  faith ;  be  it  unto  thee  even  as  thou 
wilt."  For  of  this  people  also  was  that  cen- 
turion of  whom  the  same  Lord  saith,  "Verily 
I  say  unto  you,  I  have  not  found  so  great 
faith,  no,  not  in  Israel,"  because  he  had 
said,  "I  am  not  worthy  that  Thou  shouldst 
come  under  my  roof,  but  speak  the  word  only, 
and  my  servant  shall  be  healed."  So  then 
the  Lord  even  before  His  passion  and  glori- 
fication pointed  out  two  people,  the  one  to 
whom  He  had  come  because  of  the  promises 
to  the  Fathers,  and  the  other  whom  for  His 
mercy's  sake  He  did  not  reject;  that  it  might 
be  fulfill  3d  which  had  been  promised  to 
Abraham,  "In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations 
be  blessed." 

XI.  Attend,    now,    dearly    beloved.      The 
Lord  was  passing  by,  and  the  blind  men  cried 

63 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

out.  What  is  this  ' '  passing  by  ? "  As  we  have 
already  said,  He  was  doing  works  which 
passed  by.  Now  upon  these  passing  works 
is  our  faith  built  up.  For  we  believe  on  the 
Son  of  God,  not  only  in  that  He  is  the  Word 
of  God,  by  whom  all  things  were  made;  for 
if  He  had  always  continued  in  the  form  of 
God,  equal  with  God,  and  had  not  emptied 
Himself  in  taking  the  form  of  a  servant, 
the  blind  men  would  not  even  have  perceived 
Him,  that  they  might  be  able  to  cry  out. 
But  when  he  wrought  passing  works,  that  is, 
when  He  humbled  Himself,  having  become 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross,  the  two  blind  men  cried  out,  Have 
mercy  on  us,  thou  Son  of  David.  For  this 
very  thing  that  He,  David's  Lord  and  Crea- 
tor, willed  also  to  be  David's  son,  He  wrought 
in  time,  He  wrought  passing  by. 

XII.  Now  what  is  it,  brethren,  to  cry  out 
unto  Christ,  but  to  correspond  to  the  grace 
of  Christ  by  good  works?  This  I  say, 
brethren,  lest  haply  we  cry  aloud  with  our 
voices,  and  in  our  lives  be  dumb.  Who  is 
he  that  crieth  out  to  Christ,  that  his  inward 
blindness  may  be  driven  away  by  Christ  as 
He  is  passing  by,  that  is,  as  He  is  dispensing 
to  us  those  temporal  sacraments,  whereby  we 
are  instructed  to  receive  the  things  which 
are  eternal?  Who  is  he  that  crieth  out  unto 
Christ?  Whoso  despiseth  the  world,  erieth 
out  unto  Christ.  Whoso  despiseth  the 

64 


AUGUSTINE 


pleasures  of  the  world,  crieth  out  unto 
Christ.  Whoso  saith,  not  with  his  tongue 
but  with  his  life,  the  world  is  crucified  unto 
me,  and  I  unto  the  world,  crieth  out  unto 
Christ.  Whoso  disperseth  abroad  and  giveth 
to  the  poor,  that  his  righteousness  may  endure 
forever,  crieth  out  unto  Christ.  For  let  him 
that  hears,  and  is  not  deaf  to  the  sound,  sell 
that  ye  have,  and  give  to  the  poor;  provide 
yourselves  bags  which  wax  not  old,  a  treasure 
in  the  heavens  that  faileth  not;  let  him  as  he 
hears  the  sound  as  it  were  of  Christ's  foot- 
steps passing  by  cry  out  in  response  to  this  in 
his  blindness ;  that  is,  let  him  do  these  things. 
Let  his  voice  be  in  his  actions.  Let  him  be- 
gin to  despise  the  world,  to  distribute  to  the 
poor  his  goods,  to  esteem  as  nothing  worth 
what  other  men  love,  let  him  disregard  in- 
juries, not  seek  to  be  avenged,  let  him  give 
his  cheek  to  the  smiter,  let  him  pray  for  his 
enemies ;  if  any  one  who  have  taken  away  his 
goods,  let  him  not  ask  for  them  again;  if  he 
have  taken  anything  from  any  man,  let  him 
restore  fourfold. 

XIII.  When  he  shall  begin  to  do  all  this, 
all  his  kinsmen,  relations,  and  friends  will 
be  in  commotion.  They  WUD  love  the  world 
will  oppose  him.  What  madness  this!  You 
are  too  extreme !  What !  Are  not  other  men 
Christians?  This  is  folly,  this  is  madness. 
And  other  such  like  things  do  the  multitude 
cry  out  to  prevent  the  blind  from  crying  out. 

i—s  65 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

The  multitude  rebuked  them  as  they  cried 
out;  but  did  not  overcome  their  cries.  Let 
them  who  wish  to  be  healed  understand  what 
they  have  to  do.  Jesus  is  now  also  passing 
by ;  let  them  who  are  by  the  wayside  cry  out. 
These  are  they,  who  know  God  with  their  lips, 
but  their  heart  is  far  from  Him.  These 
are  by  the  wayside,  to  whom,  as  blinded  in 
heart,  Jesus  gave  His  precepts.  For  when 
those  passing  things  which  Jesus  did  are  re- 
counted, Jesus  is  always  represented  to  us 
as  passing  by.  For  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world  there  will  not  be  wanting  blind  men 
sitting  by  the  wayside.  Need  then  there  is 
that  they  who  sit  by  the  wayside  should  cry 
out.  The  multitude  that  was  with  the  Lord 
would  repress  the  crying  of  those  who  were 
seeking  for  recovery.  Brethren,  do  you  see 
my  meaning?  For  I  know  not  how  to  speak, 
but  still  less  do  I  know  how  to  be  silent.  I 
will  speak  then,  and  speak  plainly.  For  I 
fear  Jesus  passing  by  and  Jesus  standing 
still;  and  therefore  I  can  not  keep  silence. 
Evil  and  unknown  Christians  hinder  good 
Christians  who  are  truly  earnest  and  wish 
to  do  the  commandments  of  God,  which  are 
written  in  the  Gc  pel.  This  multitude  which 
is  with  the  Lord  hinders  those  who  are  crying 
out,  hinders  those,  that  is,  who  are  doing  well, 
that  they  may  not  by  perseverance  be  healed. 
But  let  them  cry  out,  and  not  faint ;  let  them 
not  be  led  away  as  if  by  the  authority  of 

66 


AUGUSTINE 


numbers;  let  them  not  imitate  those  who  be- 
come Christians  before  them,  who  live  evil 
lives  themselves,  and  are  jealous  of  the  good 
deeds  of  others.  Let  them  not  say,  "Let  us 
live  as  these  so  many  live. ' '  Why  not  rather  as 
the  Gospel  ordains?  Why  dost  thou  wish  to 
live  according  to  the  remonstrances  of  the  mul- 
titude who  would  hinder  them,  and  not  after 
the  steps  of  the  Lord  who  passeth  by  ?  They 
will  mock,  and  abuse,  and  call  thee  back;  do 
thou  cry  out  till  thou  reach  the  ears  of  Jesus. 
For  they  who  shall  persevere  in  doing  such 
things  as  Christ  hath  enjoined,  and  regard  not 
the  multitude  that  hinder  them,  nor  think 
much  of  their  appearing  to  follow  Christ,  that 
is  of  their  being  called  Christians;  but  who 
love  the  light  which  Christ  is  about  to  re- 
store to  them  more  than  they  fear  the  uproar 
of  those  who  are  hindering  them;  they  shall 
on  no  account  be  separated  from  Him,  and 
Jesus  will  stand  still,  and  make  them  whole. 
XIV.  For  how  are  our  eyes  made  whole? 
That  as  by  faith  we  perceive  Christ  passing 
by  in  the  temporal  economy,  so  we  may  attain 
to  the  knowledge  of  Him  as  standing  still  in 
His  unchangeable  eternity.  For  there  is  the 
eye  made  whole  when  the  knowledge  of 
Christ's  divinity  is  attained.  Let  your  love 
apprehend  this;  attend  ye  to  the  great  mys- 
tery which  I  am  to  speak  of.  All  the  things 
which  were  done  by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
in  time,  graft  faith  in  us.  We  believe  on  the 

67 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

Son  of  God,  not  on  the  word  only,  by  whom 
all  things  were  made;  but  on  this  very  word, 
' '  made  flesh  that  He  might  dwell  among  us " ; 
who  was  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary;  and  the 
rest  which  the  Faith  contains,  and  which  are 
represented  to  us  that  Christ  might  pass  by, 
and  that  the  blind,  hearing  His  footsteps  as 
He  passeth  by,  might  by  their  works  cry  out, 
by  their  life  exemplifying  the  profession  of 
their  faith.  But  now  in  order  that  they  who 
cry  out  may  be  made  whole,  Jesus  standeth 
still.  For  he  saw  Jesus  now  standing  still, 
who  says,  "Though  we  have  known  Christ 
after  the  flesh,  yet  now  henceforth  know 
we  Him  no  more."  For  he  saw  Christ's  di- 
vinity as  far  as  in  this  life  is  possible.  There 
is  then  in  Christ  the  divinity,  and  the  hu- 
manity. The  divinity  standeth  still,  the 
humanity  passeth  by.  What  means  "the  di- 
vinity standeth  still  ? "  It  changeth  not,  is  not 
shaken,  doth  not  depart  away.  For  He  did  not 
so  come  to  us  as  to  depart  from  the  Father; 
nor  did  He  so  ascend  as  to  change  His  place. 
When  He  assumed  flesh,  it  changed  place ;  but 
God  assuming  flesh,  seeing  He  is  not  in  place, 
doth  not  change  His  place.  Let  us  then  be 
touched  by  Christ  standing  still,  and  so  our 
eyes  be  made  whole.  But  whose  eyes?  The 
eyes  of  those  who  cry  out  when  He  is  passing 
by;  that  is,  who  do  good  works  through  that 
faith  which  hath  been  dispersed  in  time,  to 
instruct  in  our  infancy. 

68 


AUGUSTINE 


XV.  Now  what  thing  more  precious   can 
we  have  than  the  eye  made  whole  ?    They  re- 
joice who  see  this  created  light  which  shines 
from  heaven,  or  even  that  which  is  given  out 
from  a  lamp.     And  how  wretched  do  they 
seem  who  can  not  see  this  light?    But  where- 
fore do  I  speak,  and  talk  of  all  these  things, 
but  to  exhort  you  all  to  cry  out,  when  Jesus 
passeth  by.     I  hold  up  this  light  which  per- 
haps ye  do  not  see  as  an  object  of  lo've  to  you, 
holy  brethren.     Believe,  while  as  yet  ye  see 
it  not;  and  cry  out  that  ye  may  see.     How 
great  is  thought  to  be  the  unhappiness  of 
men  who  do  not  see  this  bodily  light?     Does 
any  one  become  blind ;  immediately  it  is  said : 
"God  is  angry  with  him,  he  has  committed 
some  wicked  deed."     So  said  Tobias's  wife 
to  her  husband.    He  cried  out  because  of  the 
kid,  lest  it  had  come  of  theft ;  he  did  not  like 
to  hear  the  sound  of  any  stolen  thing  in  his 
house;   and  she,   maintaining  what  she  had 
done,  reproached  her  husband;  and  when  he 
said,    "Restore    it    if    it    be    stolen";    she 
answered  insultingly,  "Where  are  thy  right- 
eous deeds?"     How  great  was  her  blindness 
who  maintaineth  the  theft;  and  how  clear  a 
light  he  saw,  who  commanded  the  stolen  thing 
to  be  restored!     She  rejoiced  outwardly  in 
the  light  of  the  sun ;  he  inwardly  in  the  light 
of  righteousness.    Which  of  them  was  in  the 
better  light? 

XVI.  It  is  to  the  love  of  this  light  that  I 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

would  exhort  you,  beloved ;  that  ye  would  cry 
out  by  your  works,  when  the  Lord  passeth  by ; 
let  the  voice  of  faith  sound  out,  that  Jesus 
was  standing  still,  that  is,  the  unchangeable, 
abiding  wisdom  of  God,  and  the  majesty  of 
the  Word  of  God,  by  which  all  things  were 
made,  may  open  your  eyes.  The  same  Tobias, 
in  giving  advice  to  his  son,  instructed  him  to 
this,  to  cry  out;  that  is,  he  instructed  him  to 
good  works.  He  told  him  to  give  to  the  poor, 
charged  him  to  give  alms  to  the  needy,  and 
taught  him,  saying,  "My  son,  alms  suffereth 
not  to  come  into  darkness."  The  blind  gave 
counsel  for  receiving  and  gaining  sight. 
"Alms,"  saith  he,  "suffereth  not  to  come  into 
darkness."  Had  his  son  in  astonishment 
answered  him,  ' '  What  then,  father,  hast  thou 
not  given  alms,  that  thou  speakest  to  me 
in  blindness;  art  not  thou  in  darkness,  and 
yet  thou  dost  say  to  me,  Alms  suffereth  not 
to  come  into  darkness?"  But  no,  he  knew 
well  what  the  light  was  concerning  which 
he  gave  his  son  instruction,  he  knew  well 
what  he  saw  in  the  inner  man.  The  son 
held  out  his  hand  to  his  father,  to  enable  him 
to  dwell  in  heaven. 

XVII.  To  be  brief;  that  I  may  conclude 
this  sermon,  brethren,  with  a  matter  which 
touches  me  very  nearly,  and  gives  me  much 
pain,  see  what  crowds  there  are  which  rebuke 
the  blind  as  they  cry  out.  But  let  them  not 
deter  you.  whosoever  among  this  crowd  de- 

70 


AUGUSTINE 


sire  to  be  healed;  for  there  are  many  Chris- 
tians in  name,  and  in  works  ungodly;  let 
them  not  deter  you  from  good  works.  Cry 
out  amid  the  crowds  that  are  restraining  you, 
and  calling  you  back,  and  insulting  you, 
whose  lives  are  evil.  For  not  only  by  their 
voices,  but  by  evil  works,  do  wicked  Chris- 
tians repress  the  good.  A  good  Christian  has 
no  wish  to  attend  the  public  shows.  In  this 
very  thing,  that  he  bridles  his  desire  of  go- 
ing to  the  theater,  he  cries  out  after  Christ, 
cries  out  to  be  healed.  Others  run  together 
thither,  but  perhaps  they  are  heathens  or 
Jews?  Ah!  indeed,  if  Christians  went  not 
to  the  theaters,  there  would  be  so  few  people 
there  that  they  would  go  away  for  very 
shame.  So  then  Christians  run  thither  also, 
bearing  the  Holy  Name  only  to  their  con- 
demnation. Cry  out  then  by  abstaining  from 
going,  by  repressing  in  thy  heart  this  worldly 
concupiscence;  hold  on  with  a  strong  and 
persevering  cry  unto  the  ears  of  the  Savior, 
that  Jesus  may  stand  still  and  heal  thee.  Cry 
out  amid  the  very  crowds,  despair  not  of 
reaching  the  ears  of  the  Lord.  For  the  blind 
man  in  the  Gospel  did  not  cry  out  in  that 
quarter  where  no  crowd  was,  that  so  they 
might  be  heard  in  that  direction,  where  there 
was  no  impediment  from  persons  hindering 
them.  Amid  the  very  crowds  they  cried  out; 
and  yet  the  Lord  heard  them.  And  so  also 
do  ye  evon  amid  sinners,  and  sensual  men, 

71 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT  SERMONS 

amid  the  lovers  of  the  vanities  of  the  world, 
there  cry  out  that  the  Lord  may  heal  you. 
Go  not  to  another  quarter  to  cry  out  unto  the 
Lord,  go  not  to  heretics  and  cry  out  unto 
Him  there.  Consider,  brethren,  how  in  that 
crowd  which  was  hindering  them  from  cry- 
ing out,  even  there  they  who  cried  out  were 
made  whole. 


72 


WYCLIF 

CHRIST'S   REAL   BODY   NOT   IN   THE 
EUCHARIST 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTE 

JOHN  WYCLIF,  eminent  as  scholar, 
preacher,  and  translator,  was  born  in 
1324  in  Spresswel,  near  Richmond,  York- 
shire, England.  Known  as  the  "  Morn- 
ing Star  of  the  Reformation"  he  was  a 
vigorous  and  argumentative  speaker,  ex- 
emplifying his  own  definition  of  pre^ch- 
ing  as  something  which  should  be  ''apt, 
apparent,  full  of  true  feeling,  fearless  in 
rebuking  sins,  and  so  addrest  to  the  heart 
as  to  enlighten  the  spirit  and  subdue  the 
will."  On  these  lines  he  organized  a 
band  of  Bible  preachers  who  worked 
largely  among  the  common  people. 

Much  of  Wyclif 's  popularity  was  due 
to  his  clear  and  simple  style.  While  not 
a  great  orator,  he  introduced  a  popular 
method  of  preaching  that  was  widely 
copied.  He  died  at  Lutterworth  in  1384. 
The  Church  considered  him  a  heretic,  for 
he  taught  the  right  of  the  individual  to 
form  his  own  opinions  after  personal 
study  of  the  Scriptures.  He  was  the  first 
Englishman  to  translate  the  Bible  system- 
atically into  his  native  Anglo-Saxon. 
In  1428,  by  order  of  Pope  Martin  V,  his 
bones  were  exhumed  and  burned,  and  the 
ashes  thrown  into  the  river  Swale. 


WYCLIF 

1324—1384 

CHRIST'S   REAL   BODY   NOT   IN  THE 

EUCHARIST 

This  is  my  body. — Matt,  xxvi.,  26. 

Now  UNDERSTAND  ye  the  words  of  our  Sa- 
vior Christ,  as  He  spake  them  one  after 
another — as  Christ  spake  them.  For 
He  took  bread  and  blest,  and  yet  what  blest 
He  ?  The  Scripture  saith  not  that  Christ  took 
the  bread  and  blest  it,  or  that  He  blest 
the  bread  which  He  had  taken.  Therefore 
it  seemeth  more  that  He  blest  His  disciples 
and  apostles,  whom  He  had  ordained  witnesses 
of  His  passion ;  and  in  them  He  left  His  blest 
word,  which  is  the  bread  of  life,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, "Not  only  in  bread  liveth  man,  but  in 
every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the  mouth 
of  God. ' '  Also  Christ  saith,  ' '  I  am  the  bread 
of  life  that  came  down  from  heaven."  And 
Christ  saith  also  in  John,  "The  words  that  I 
have  spoken  to  you  are  spirit  and  life." 
Therefore  it  seemeth  more  that  He  blest  His. 
disciples,  and  also  His  apostles,  in  whom  the 
bread  of  life  was  left  more  than  in  material 
bread,  for  the  material  bread  hath  an  end. 
As  it  is  written  in  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  xv. 

75 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

that  Christ  said,  "All  things  that  a  man  eat- 
eth  go  down  into  the  belly,  and  are  sent  down 
into  the  draught;"  but  the  blessing  of  Christ 
kept  His  disciples  and  apostles,  both  bodily  and 
[ghostly]  spiritual.  As  it  is  written,  that  none 
of  them  perished  but  the  son  of  perdition,  that 
the  Scriptures  might  be  fulfilled,  and  often 
the  Scripture  saith  that  Jesus  took  bread 
and  brake  it,  and  gave  it  to  his  disciples,  and 
said,  "Take  ye,  eat  ye,  this  is  my  body  that 
shall  be  given  for  you."  But  He  said  not  this 
bread  is  my  body,  or  that  bread  should  be 
given  for  the  life  of  the  world.  For  Christ 
saith,  What  and  if  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of 
man  ascend  up  where  He  was  before?  "It  is 
the  Spirit  that  quickeneth,  the  flesh  profiteth 
nothing."  Also  Christ  saith  in  the  Gospel, 
"Verily,  verily  I  say  unto  you  except  the 
wheat  corn  fall  into  the  ground  and  die,  it 
abideth  alone,  but  if  it  die  it  bringeth  forth 
much  fruit." 

Here  men  may  see  by  the  words  of  Christ 
that  it  behooved  that  He  died  in  the  flesh,  and 
that  in  His  death  was  made  the  fruit  of  ever- 
lasting life  for  all  them  that  believe  on  Him, 
as  it  is  written  "For  as  by  Adam  they  all 
die,  even  so  by  Christ  shall  all  live,  and  every 
man  in  his  own  order;  for  as  one  clearness  is 
in  the  sun,  another  in  the  moon,  and  a  star 
in  clearness  is  nothing  in  comparison  to  the 
sun;  even  so  is  the  rising  again  of  the  dead 
for  we  are  sown  in  corruption  and  shall  rise 

76 


WYCLIF 

again  incorruptible,  we  are  sown  in  infirmity, 
and  shall  rise  again  in  strength ;  we  are  sown 
in  natural  bodies,  and  shall  rise  again  spiri- 
tual bodies."  Then  if  Christ  shall  change 
thus  our  deadly  bodies  by  death,  and  God 
the  Father  spared  not  his  own  Son,  as  it  is 
written,  but  that  death  should  reign  in  him  as 
in  us,  and  that  he  should  be  translated  into 
a  spiritual  body,  as  the  first  rising  again  of 
dead  men;  then  how  say  the  hypocrites  that 
take  on  them  to  make  our  Lord's  body? 
Make  they  the  glorified  body?  Either  make 
they  again  the  spiritual  body  which  is  risen 
from  death  to  life  or  make  they  the  fleshy 
body  as  it  was  before  he  suffered  death  ?  And 
if  they  say  also  that  they  make  the  spiritual 
body  of  Christ,  it  may  not  be  so,  for  what 
Christ  said  and  did,  He  did  as  He  was  at  sup- 
per before  He  suffered  His  passion;  as  it  is 
written  that  the  spiritual  body  of  Christ  rose 
again  from  death  to  life.  Also  that  He  as- 
cended up  to  heaven,  and  that  He  will  abide 
there  till  He  come  to  judge  the  quick  and  the 
dead.  And  if  they  say  that  they  make 
Christ's  body  as  it  was  before  He  had  suffered 
His  passion,  then  must  they  needs  grant  that 
Christ  is  to  die  yet.  For  by  all  Holy  Scrip- 
tures He  was  promised  to  die,  and  that  He 
should  give  lordship  of  everlasting  life. 

Furthermore,  if  they  say  that  Christ  made 
His  body  of  bread,  I  ask,  With  what  words 
made  He  it?  Not  with  these  words,  Roc  est 

77 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

corpus  meum;  that  is  to  say  in  English,  "This 
is  my  body,"  for  they  are  the  words  of  giving, 
and  not  of  making,  which  He  said  after  that 
He  brake  the  bread;  then  parting  it  among 
His  disciples  and  apostles.  Therefore  if  Christ 
had  made  of  that  bread  His  body,  [He]  had 
made  it  in  His  blessing,  or  else  in  giving  of 
thanks,  and  not  in  the  words  of  giving;  for 
if  Christ  had  spoken  of  the  material  bread 
that  He  had  in  His  hands  when  He  said,  Hoc 
est  corpus  meum,  "This  is  my  body,"  it  was 
made  before,  or  else  the  word  had  been  a  lie. 
For  if  I  say,  This  is  my  hand,  and  if  it  be  not 
a  hand,  then  am  I  a  liar;  therefore  seek 
carefully  if  ye  can  find  two  words  of  blessing, 
or  of  giving  of  thanks,  wherewith  Christ  made 
his  body  and  blood  of  the  bread  and  wine. 
And  that  all  the  clerks  of  the  earth  know  not, 
for  if  ye  might  find  or  know  those  words,  then 
should  ye  wax  great  masters  above  Christ, 
and  then  ye  might  be  givers  of  His  substance, 
and  as  fathers  and  makers  of  Him,  and  that 
He  should  worship  you,  as  it  is  written,  Thou 
shalt  worship  thy  father  and  mother.  Of 
such  as  desire  such  worship  against  God 's  law, 
speaketh  St.  Paul  of  the  man  of  sin,  that  en- 
hanceth  himself  as  if  he  were  God.  And  he 
is  worshiped  over  all  things  as  God,  and 
showeth  himself  as  he  were  God.  Where  our 
clergy  are  guilty  in  this,  judge  ye  or  they  that 
know  most,  for  they  say  that  when  ye  have 
said,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum,  that  is  to  say, 

78 


WYCLIF 

' '  This  is  my  body ; ' '  which  ye  call  the  words 
of  consecration,  or  else  of  making;  and  when 
they  are  said  over  the  bread,  ye  say  that  there 
is  left  no  bread,  but  it  is  the  body  of  the 
Lord.  So  that  in  the  bread  there  remaineth 
nothing  but  a  heap  of  accidents,  as  witness 
ruggedness,  roundness,  savor,  touching,  and 
tasting,  and  such  other  accidents.  Then,  if 
thou  sayest  that  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ, 
that  is  to  say,  his  manhood,  is  made  more, 
or  increased  by  so  much  as  the  ministration 
of  bread  and  wine  is,  the  which  ye  minister — 
if  ye  say  it  is  so — then  thou  must  needs  con- 
sent that  the  thing  which  is  not  God  to-day 
shall  be  God  to-morrow ;  yea,  and  that  the 
thing  which  is  without  spirit  of  life,  but 
groweth  in  the  field  by  kind,  shall  be  God  at 
another  time.  And  we  all  ought  to  believe 
that  He  was  without  beginning,  and  without 
ending;  and  not  made,  for  if  the  manhood  of 
Christ  were  increased  every  day  by  so  much 
as  the  bread  and  wine  draweth  to  that  ye 
minister,  He  should  increase  more  in  one  day 
by  cart-loads  than  He  did  in  thirty-two  years 
when  He  was  here  in  earth. 

And  if  thou  makest  the  body  of  the  Lord 
in  those  words,  Hoc  est  corpus  meum;  that  is 
to  say,  "This  is  my  body";  and  if  thou 
mayest  make  the  body  of  the  Lord  in  those 
words,  "This  is  my  body,"  thou  thyself  must 
be  the  person  of  Christ,  or  else  there  is  a 
false  God ;  for  if  it  be  thy  body  as  thou  sayest, 

79 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

then  it  is  the  body  of  a  false  knave  or  of  a 
drunken  man,  or  of  a  thief,  or  of  a  leeherer, 
or  full  of  other  sins,  and  then  there  is  an  un- 
clean body  for  any  man  to  worship  for  God ! 
For  even  if  Christ  had  made  there  His  body 
of  material  bread  in  the  said  words,  as  I  know 
they  are  not  the  words  of  making,  what 
earthly  man  had  power  to  do  as  He  did  ?  For 
in  all  Holy  Scripture,  from  the  beginning  of 
Genesis  to  the  end  of  the  Apocalypse,  there 
are  no  words  written  of  the  making  of  Christ's 
body;  but  there  are  written  that  Christ  was 
the  Son  of  the  Father,  and  that  He  was  con- 
ceived of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  He  took 
flesh  and  blood  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  that 
He  was  dead,  and  that  He  rose  again  from 
death  on  the  third  day,  and  that  He  ascended 
to  heaven  very  God  and  man,  and  that  we 
should  believe  in  all  Scriptures  that  are  writ- 
ten of  Him,  and  that  He  is  to  come  to  judge 
the  quick  and  the  dead,  and  that  the  same 
Christ  Jesus,  King  and  Savior,  was  at  the 
beginning  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  making  all  things  of  naught,  both 
heaven  and  earth,  and  all  things  that  are 
therein ;  working  by  word  of  His  virtue,  for 
He  said,  Be  it  done,  and  it  was  done,  whose 
works  never  earthly  man  might  comprehend, 
either  make.  And  yet  the  words  of  the  ma- 
king of  these  things  are  written  in  the  begin- 
ning of  Genesis,  even  as  God  spake  them ;  and 
if  ye  can  not  make  the  work  that  He  made, 

80 


W YCLIF 

and  have  the  word  by  which  He  made  it,  how 
shall  ye  make  Him  that  made  the  works  ?  You 
have  no  words  of  authority  or  power  left  you 
on  earth  by  which  ye  should  do  this,  but  ye 
have  feigned  this  craft  of  your  false  errors, 
which  some  of  you  understand  not;  for  it  is 
prophesied,  "They  shall  have  eyes  and  see 
not,  and  ears  and  hear  not;  and  shall  see 
prophesies,  and  shall  not  understand,  less  they 
be  converted ;  for  I  hide  them  from  the  hearts 
of  those  people;  their  hearts  are  greatly  fat- 
ted." And  this  thing  is  done  to  you  for  the 
wickedness  of  your  errors  in  unbelief;  there- 
fore be  ye  converted  from  the  worst  sin,  as 
it  is  written,  ""When  Moses  was  in  the  hill 
with  God,"  the  people  made  a  calf  and  wor- 
shiped it  as  God.  And  God  spake  to  Moses, 
"Go,  for  the  people  have  done  the  worst  sin 
to  make  and  worship  alien  gods." 

But  now  I  shall  ask  you  a  word ;  answer  ye 
me,  Whether  is  the  body  of  the  Lord  made  at 
once  or  at  twice?  Is  it  both  the  flesh  and 
the  blood  in  the  host  of  the  bread;  or  else  is 
the  flesh  made  at  one  time,  and  the  blood  made 
at  another  time;  that  is  to  say,  the  wine  in 
the  chalice?  If  thou  wilt  say  it  is  full  and 
wholly  the  manhood  of  Christ  in  the  host 
of  bread,  both  flesh  and  blood,  skin,  hair,  and 
bones,  then  makest  thou  us  to  worship  a  false 
god  in  the  chalice,  which  is  unconjured  when 
ye  worship  the  bread ;  and  if  ye  say  the  flesh 
is  in  the  bread,  and  the  blood  in  the  wine, 

1—6  81 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT    SERMONS 

then  thou  must  grant,  if  thy  craft  be  true, 
as  it  is  not  indeed,  that  the  manhood  of  Christ 
is  parted,  and  that  He  is  made  at  two  times. 
For  first  thou  takest  the  host  of  bread,  or  a 
piece  of  bread,  and  makest  it  as  ye  say,  and 
the  innocent  people  worship  it.  And  then 
thou  takest  to  thee  the  chalice,  and  likewise 
marrest,  makest,  I  would  have  said,  the  blood 
in  it,  and  then  they  worship  it  also,  and  if  it 
be  so  as  I  am  sure  that  the  flesh  and  blood 
of  Christ  ascended,  then  are  ye  false  harlots 
to  God  and  to  us ;  for  when  we  shall  be  hous- 
elled  ye  bring  to  us  the  dry  flesh,  and  let 
the  blood  be  away;  for  ye  give  us  after  the 
bread,  wine  and  water,  and  sometimes  clean 
water  unblest,  or  rather  conjured,  by  the  vir- 
tue of  your  craft;  and  yet  ye  say,  under  the 
host  of  bread  is  the  full  manhood  of  Christ. 
Then  by  your  own  confession  must  it  needs 
be  that  we  worship  a  false  god  in  the  chalice, 
which  is  unconjured  when  we  worship  the 
bread,  and  worship  the  one  as  the  other;  but 
where  find  ye  that  ever  Christ  or  any  of  His 
disciples  taught  any  man  to  worship  this 
bread  or  wine? 

Therefore,  what  shall  we  say  of  the  apostles 
that  were  so  much  with  Christ,  and  were 
called  by  the  Holy  Ghost ;  had  they  forgotten 
to  set  it  in  the  creed  when  they  made  it, 
which  is  Christian  men's  belief?  Or  else  we 
might  say  that  they  knew  no  such  God,  for 
they  believe  in  no  more  gods  but  in  Him  that 

82 


WYCLIF 

was  at  the  beginning,  and  made  of  naught  all 
things  visible  and  invisible,  which  Lord  took 
flesh  and  blood,  being  in  the  Virgin,  the  same 
God.  But  ye  have  many  false  ways,  to  be- 
guile the  innocent  people  with  sleights  of  the 
fiend. 

For  ye  say  that  in  every  host  each  piece  is 
the  whole  manhood  of  Christ,  or  full  sub- 
stance of  Him.  For  ye  say  as  a  man  may  take 
a  glass,  and  break  the  glass  into  many  pieces, 
and  in  every  piece  properly  thou  mayest  see 
thy  face,  and  yet  thy  face  is  not  parted; 
so  ye  say  the  Lord's  body  is  in  each  host  or 
piece,  and  His  body  is  not  parted.  And  this 
is  a  full  subtle  question  to  beguile  an  innocent 
fool,  but  will  ye  take  heed  of  this  subtle  ques- 
tion, how  a  man  may  take  a  glass  and  behold 
the  very  likeness  of  his  own  face,  and  yet  it 
is  not  his  face,  but  the  likeness  of  his  face; 
for  if  it  were  his  very  face,  then  he  must  needs 
have  t\vo  faces,  one  on  his  body  and  another 
in  the  glass.  And  if  the  glass  were  broken  in 
many  places,  so  there  should  be  many  faces 
more  by  the  glass  than  by  the  body,  and  each 
man  shall  make  as  many  faces  to  them  as  they 
would ;  but  as  ye  may  see  the  mind  or  likeness 
of  your  face,  which  is  not  the  very  face ;  but 
the  figure  thereof,  so  the  bread  is  the  figure 
or  mind  of  Christ's  body  in  earth,  and  there- 
fore Christ  said,  As  oft  as  ye  do  this  thing  do 
it  in  mind  of  me. 

Also  ye  say  this,  As  a  man  may  light  many 

83 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

candles  at  one  candle,  and  yet  the  light  of  that 
candle  is  never  the  more  nor  ever  the  less; 
so  ye  say  that  the  manhood  of  Christ  de- 
scendeth  into  each  part  of  every  host,  and  the 
manhood  of  Christ  is  never  the  more  nor  less. 
Where  then  becometh  your  ministrations? 
For  if  a  man  light  many  candles  at  one  candle, 
as  long  as  they  burn  there  will  be  many 
candles  lighted,  and  as  well  the  last  candle  as 
the  first;  and  so  by  this  reason,  if  ye  shall 
fetch  your  word  at  God,  and  make  God,  there 
must  needs  be  many  gods,  and  that  is  forbid- 
den in  the  first  commandment,  Exod.  xx. 
And  as  for  making  more,  either  making  less, 
of  Christ's  manhood,  it  lieth  not  in  your 
power  to  come  there  nigh,  neither  to  touch 
it,  for  it  is  ascended  into  heaven  in  a  spiritual 
body,  which  He  suffered  not  Mary  Magdalen 
to  touch,  when  her  sins  were  forgiven  to  her. 
Therefore  all  the  sacraments  that  are  left 
here  in  earth  are  but  minds  of  the  body  of 
Christ,  for  a  sacrament  is  no  more  to  say 
but  a  sign  or  mind  of  a  thing  passed,  or  a 
thing  to  come;  for  when  Jesus  spake  of  the 
bread,  and  said  to  His  disciples,  As  ye  do 
this  thing,  do  it  in  mind  of  me,  it  was  set  for 
a  mind  of  good  things  passed  of  Christ's 
body;  but  when  the  angel  showed  to  John 
the  sacraments  of  the  woman  and  of  the  beast 
that  bare  her,  it  was  set  for  a  mind  of  evil 
things  to  come  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and 
great  destroying  of  the  people  of  God.  And 

84 


WYCLIF 

in  the  old  law  there  were  many  figures  or 
minds  of  things  to  come.  For  before  Christ, 
circumcision  was  commanded  by  a  law;  and 
he  that  kept  not  the  law  was  slain.  And  yet 
St.  Paul  saith,  ' '  And  neither  is  it  circumcision 
that  is  openly  in  the  flesh,  but  he  that  is  cir- 
cumcised of  heart  in  spirit,  not  the  letter 
whose  praising  is  not  of  men,  but  of  God." 
Peter  saith  in  the  third  chapter  of  his  epistle, 
"And  so  baptism  of  like  form  maketh  not  us 
safe,  but  the  putting  away  of  the  filthiness  of 
the  flesh,  and  the  having  of  good  conscience 
in  God  by  the  rising  again  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  from  death,  that  we  should  be  made 
heirs  of  everlasting  life,  He  went  up  into 
heaven,  and  angels,  and  powers,  and  virtues, 
are  made  subjects  to  Him. 

And  also  the  Scripture  saith  of  John  Bap- 
tist, that  he  preached  in  the  wilderness  and 
said,  "A  stronger  than  I  shall  come  after  me, 
and  I  am  not  worthy  to  kneel  down  and  un- 
lace His  shoe;"  and  yet  Christ  said  that  he 
was  more  than  a  prophet.  See  also  Isaiah  xl., 
Matt.  xi.  How  may  ye  then  say  that  ye  are 
worthy  to  make  His  body,  and  yet  your  works 
bear  witness  that  ye  are  less  than  the  prophets? 
for  if  ye  were  not,  ye  should  not  teach  the 
people  to  worship  the  sacraments  or  minds 
of  Christ  for  Christ  himself;  which  sacra- 
ments or  figures  are  lawful  as  God  taught 
them  and  left  them  unto  us,  as  the  sacrifices  or 
minds  of  the  old  law  were  full  good.  As  it  is 

85 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT    SERMONS 

written,  ' '  They  that  kept  them  should  live  in 
them."  And  so  the  bread  that  Christ  brake 
was  left  to  us  for  mind  of  things  passed  for 
the  body  of  Christ,  that  we  should  believe  He 
was  a  very  man  in  kind  as  we  are,  but  as  God 
in  power,  and  that  His  manhood  was  sustained 
by  food  as  ours.  For  St.  Paul  saith  He  was 
very  man,  and  in  form  he  was  found  as  man. 
And  so  we  must  believe  that  He  was  very  God 
and  very  man  together,  and  that  He  ascended 
up  very  God  and  very  man  to  heaven,  and 
that  He  shall  be  there  till  He  come  to  doom  the 
world.  And  we  may  not  see  him  bodily,  being 
in  this  life,  as  it  is  written,  Peter  i.,  for  he 
saith,  "Whom  ye  have  not  seen  ye  love,  into 
whom  ye  now  not  seeing  believe. ' '  And  John 
saith  in  the  first  chapter  of  his  Gospel,  "No 
man  saw  God ;  none  but  the  only  begotten  Son 
that  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  He  hath 
told  it  out."  And  John  saith  in  his  first 
epistle,  the  third  chapter,  "Every  man  that 
sinneth  seeth  not  him,  neither  knoweth  him." 
By  what  reason  then  say  ye  that  are  sinners 
that  ye  make  God?  truly  this  must  needs  be 
the  worst  sin,  to  say  that  ye  make  God,  and  it 
is  the  abomination  of  discomfort  that  is  said 
in  Daniel  the  prophet  to  be  standing  in  the 
holy  place;  he  that  readeth  let  him  under- 
stand. 

Also  Luke  saith  that  Christ  took  the  cup 
after  that  He  had  supped,  and  gave  thanks 
and  said,  "This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in 

86 


WYCLIF 

my  blood  that  shall  be  shed  unto  the  remission 
of  sins  for  man. ' '  Now,  what  say  ye ;  the  cup 
which  He  said  was  the  new  testament  in  His 
blood,  was  it  a  material  cup  in  which  the  wine 
was  that  He  gave  his  disciples  wine  of,  or  was 
it  His  most  blest  body  in  which  the  blest  blood 
was  kept  till  it  was  shed  out  for  the  sins  of 
them  that  should  be  made  safe  by  His  passion  ? 
Needs  must  we  say  that  He  spake  of  His  holy 
body,  as  He  did  when  He  called  His  passion 
or  suffering  in  body  a  cup,  when  He  prayed  to 
His  father,  before  He  went  to  His  passion,  and 
said,  "If  it  be  possible  that  this  cup  pass 
from  me,  but  if  thou  wilt  that  I  drink  it,  thy 
will  be  done?"  He  spake  not  here  of  the  ma- 
terial cup  in  which  He  had  given  His  dis- 
ciples drink ;  for  it  troubled  not  Him,  but  He 
prayed  for  His  great  sufferance  and  bitter 
death,  the  which  He  suffered  for  our  sins  and 
not  for  His  own.  And  if  He  spake  of  His  holy 
body  and  passion  when  He  said,  ' '  This  cup  is 
the  new  testament  in  my  blood,"  so  He  spake 
of  His  holy  body  when  He  said,  "This  is  my 
body  which  shall  be  given  for  you,"  and  not 
of  the  material  bread  which  He  had  in  His 
hand.  Also  in  another  place  He  called  His 
passion  a  cup,  where  the  mother  of  Zebedee's 
sons  came  to  Him,  and  asked  of  Him  that  her 
two  sons,  when  He  came  to  His  kingdom,  might 
sit  one  on  His  right,  and  one  at  His  left  side. 
And  He  answered  and  said,  "Woman,  thou 
wottest  not  what  thou  asketh;  then  He  said 

87 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT    SERMONS 

to  them,  May  ye  drink  of  the  cup  that  I  shall 
drink?  and  they  said,  Yea,  Lord.  And  He 
said,  Ye  shall  drink  of  my  cup,  but  to  sit  on 
my  right  hand  or  left  hand  it  is  not  mine  to 
give,  but  to  the  Father  it  is  proper. ' '  But  in 
that  He  said,  Ye  shall  drink  of  my  cup,  He 
promised  them  to  suffer  tribulation  of  this 
world  as  He  did,  by  the  which  they  should 
enter  into  life  everlasting,  and  to  be  both  on 
his  right  hand.  And  thus  ye  may  see  that 
Christ  spake  not  of  the  material  cup,  neither 
of  himself,  nor  of  his  apostles,  neither  of  ma- 
terial bread,  neither  of  material  wine.  There- 
fore let  every  man  wisely,  with  meek  prayers, 
and  great  study,  and  also  charity,  read  the 
words  of  God  and  holy  Scriptures;  but  many 
of  you  are  like  the  mother  of  Zebedee's  sons 
to  whom  Christ  said,  ' '  Thou  knowest  not  what 
thou  askest."  So,  many  of  you  know  not 
what  ye  ask,  nor  what  you  do ;  for  if  ye  did, 
ye  would  not  blaspheme  God  as  ye  do,  to  set 
an  alien  God  instead  of  the  living  God.  Also 
Christ  saith,  "I  am  a  very  vine;  wherefore 
then  worship  ye  not  the  vine  God,  as  ye  do  the 
bread?  Wherein  was  Christ  a  very  vine,  or 
wherein  was  the  bread  Christ's  body,  in  figur- 
ative speech,  which  is  hidden  to  the  under- 
standing? Then  if  Christ  became  not  a  ma- 
terial or  an  earthly  vine,  neither  did  a  ma- 
terial vine  become  His  body.  So  neither  the 
bread,  material  bread,  was  changed  from 
its  substance  to  the  flesh  and  blood  of  Christ. 

88 


WYCLIF 

Have  ye  not  read  in  John  the  second,  when 
Christ  came  into  the  temple,  they  asked  of 
Him  what  token  He  would  show,  that  they 
might  believe  Him.  And  He  answered  them, 
"Cast  down  this  temple,  and  in  three  days  I 
shall  raise  it  again;"  which  words  were  ful- 
filled in  His  rising  again  from  death;  but 
when  He  said,  "Undo  this  temple,"  in  that 
that  He  said  this,  they  were  in  error,  for  they 
understood  it  fleshly,  and  had  supposed  that 
He  had  spoken  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  be- 
cause He  stood  in  it.  And  therefore  they  ac- 
cused Him  at  His  passion  full  falsely.  For  He 
spake  of  the  temple  of  His  blest  body,  which 
rose  again  in  the  third  day.  And  right  so 
Christ  spake  of  His  holy  body  when  He  said, 
"This  is  my  body  which  shall  be  given  for 
you, ' '  which  was  given  to  death,  and  to  rising 
again  to  bliss,  for  all  that  shall  be  saved  by 
him.  But  like  as  they  accused  him  falsely  of 
the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  so  now  a  days  they 
accuse  falsely  against  Christ,  and  say  that 
Christ  spake  of  the  bread  that  He  brake  among 
His  apostles ;  for  in  that  Christ  said  this,  they 
are  deceived,  take  it  fleshly,  and  turn  it  to 
the  material  bread,  as  the  Jews  did  to  the 
temple ;  and  on  this  false  understanding  they 
make  abomination  of  discomfort,  as  is  said  by 
Daniel  the  prophet,  and  in  Matthew  xxiv.,  to 
be  standing  in  the  holy  place ;  he  that  readeth 
let  him  understand. 

Now,  therefore,  pray  we  heartily  to  God, 

89 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

that  this  evil  may  be  made  short  for  the 
chosen  men,  as  He  hath  promised  in  His  blest 
Gospel;  and  the  large  and  broad  way  that 
leadeth  to  perdition  may  be  stopt,  and  the 
straight  and  narrow  way  that  leadeth  to  bliss 
may  be  made  open  by  Holy  Scriptures,  that 
we  may  know  which  is  the  will  of  God,  to 
serve  Him  in  truth  and  holiness  in  the  dread 
of  God,  that  we  may  find  by  Him  a  way  of 
bliss  everlasting.  So  be  it. 


SAVONAROLA 
THE   ASCENSION   OF   CHRIST 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTE 

GIROLAMO  SAVONAROLA  was  born  at  Fer- 
rara  in  1452,  and  was  admitted  in  1475 
into  the  novitiate  of  the  Dominican  Or- 
der, where  he  soon  made  himself  con- 
spicuous for  eloquence,  and  in  Florence 
attracted  many  hearers  by  his  diatribes 
against  corruption.  Florence,  having  lost 
its  independence  as  a  republic,  was  com- 
pletely under  the  sway  of  the  Medici,  who 
became  arrayed  against  Savonarola,  who 
aimed  at  establishing  an  ideal  Christian 
commonwealth.  When  he  attacked  the 
Pope  Alexander  VI.  his  doom  was  prac- 
tically sealed.  In  1495  he  was  forbidden 
to  appear  in  the  pulpit,  and  four  years 
later  was  excommunicated.  He  rebelled 
against  papal  authority,  but  the  people  of 
Florence  grew  tired  of  the  strict  rule  of 
conduct  imposed  by  his  teaching,  and  he 
was  imprisoned  and  tried  for  heresy  and 
sedition.  On  May  23,  1498,  he  was 
hanged  and  his  body  burned.  His  puri- 
tanism,  his  bold  rebuking  of  vice,  his 
defiance  of  every  authority  excepting  that 
of  his  own  conscience,  seem  to  anticipate 
the  efforts  made  by  Calvin  to  regenerate 
Geneva.  Both  men  failed  in  their  splen- 
did attempts  at  social  reformation,  but 
both  left  an  example  of  heroic  altho 
somewhat  short-sighted  unselfishness, 
•which  has  borne  fruit  in  history. 


SAVONAROLA 

1452—1498 
THE   ASCENSION    OF    CHRIST  1 

While  he   blessed  them,   he   was   parted  from   them, 
and  carried  up  into  heaven. — Luke  xxiv.,  51. 

BELOVED  in  Christ  Jesus,  the  wise  men  of 
this  world  divide  all  created  things  into 
two  classes;  one  class  they  name  sub- 
stances, the  other  accidents.  The  substances 
are  those  things  that  exist  through  themselves 
without  requiring  anything  else  on  which  to 
rest,  as  the  earth,  water,  air,  the  heavens,  ani- 
mals, stones,  plants,  and  similar  things.  The 
accidents  can  not  exist  by  themselves,  but  only 
by  resting  on  something  else,  as  color,  odor, 
taste,  and  other  such  things.  But  because 
our  knowledge  is  entirely  through  the  senses, 
and  we  are  able  to  know  anything  only  when 
its  accidents  fall  upon  our  senses,  we  have, 
therefore,  knowledge  of  the  accidents  rather 
than  of  the  substances.  The  eyes  are  for 
colors,  the  ears  for  sounds,  the  nose  for  scents, 
the  tongue  for  flavors,  the  touch  for  heat  and 
cold,  for  hard  and  soft.  Each  sense  has  its 
own  sphere  of  knowledge  and  brings  what  it 

i  Reprinted  by  permission  of  Messrs.  G.  P.  Putnam 's 
Sons  from  "The  World's  Orations,"  the  translation 
having  been  copyrighted  by  Messrs.  Putnams. 

93 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

has  perceived  before  the  imagination,  and  this 
hands  it  over  to  the  reason  within,  which  reads 
and  illuminates  the  productions  of  the  imag- 
ination, judges  them,  and  in  this  way  comes 
to  a  knowledge  of  the  substances.  But  the 
reason  has  little  light  if  it  is  separated  from 
the  body,  for  God  has  joined  soul  and  body 
together;  and  so  by  means  of  the  senses  knowl- 
edge becomes  definite  and  complete.  For  if 
the  soul  out  of  the  body  were  richer  in  knowl- 
edge, it  would  be  in  vain  that  it  should  be  in 
the  body.  God  and  nature  have  done  nothing 
in  vain,  and  therefore  the  soul's  union  with 
the  body  ministers  to  its  perfection. 

The  soul's  knowledge,  however,  will  not  be 
complete  so  long  as  it  lives  in  this  mortal  body. 
It  does  not  while  here  come  to  the  funda- 
mental distinctions  and  causes  of  the  sub- 
stances, because  it  is  obliged  to  know  the  inner 
side  of  things  through  their  externals.  There- 
fore man  is  able  only  imperfectly  to  know  an 
incorporeal  substance;  how  much  less  can  he 
know  the  uncreated  infinite  being  of  God? 
But  if  he  can  not  know  the  being  of  God,  he 
will  not  be  able  to  know  many  other  infinite 
things  which  are  in  Him.  We  ought  there- 
fore not  to  be  surprized  that  there  is  much  in 
God  which  we  can  not  understand,  and  that 
very  many  truths  of  the  faith  we  can  not  yet 
prove  since  we  do  not  yet  know  everything. 
The  great  God  in  His  rich  mercy  saw  our  poor 
knowledge  and  came  into  our  flesh  and  as- 

94 


SAVONAROLA 


sumed  it  that  He  might  work  for  us,  die,  and 
rise  again  from  the  dead;  until  after  a  life 
full  of  love  He  raised  Himself  above  the 
world  of  sense  into  His  eternity.  But  so  long 
as  our  Redeemer  lived  with  His  apostles  they 
loved  too  much  that  which  they  saw  of  Him, 
because  they  were  bound  down  to  their  senses, 
and  were  therefore  unable  to  rise  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  His  Spirit.  It  was  necessary  that  He 
should  disappear  in  the  heavens  that  He  might 
lift  their  souls  far  above  the  world  of  sense 
up  to  Himself.  Their  natural  powers  could 
not  do  this;  therefore  He  gave  to  His  elect 
a  light  from  above.  Ascending  on  high  He 
led  captivity  captive,  for  ascending  into  the 
heavens  He  took  with  Him  the  prey  which 
the  devil  had  made  of  the  soul  of  men  ever 
since  the  fall  of  our  parents.  The  Lord  has 
given  gifts  unto  men  (Eph.  iv.  8),  inasmuch 
as  He  has  imparted  to  them  the  seven  gifts 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Now  they  leave  every- 
thing of  this  world,  and  rise  above  by  follow- 
ing Christ,  who  gives  to  them  for  a  light  the 
light  of  faith.  Let  us  speak  this  morning  of 
this  faith  which  leads  to  the  Savior. 

' '  Awake  thou  that  sleepest  and  Christ  shall 
give  thee  light."  Be  not  held  captive  by 
flesh  and  sense,  which  hold  thee  fast  in  sleep ; 
rise  to  Christ,  He  will  give  thee  light.  See, 
His  flesh  is  above.  What  do  ye  say  to  that, 
ye  wise  men  of  this  world?  Everything  that 
has  weight  tends  downward,  but  His  flesh  is 

95 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

on  high  above  all  heavens.  This  time  your 
laws  have  been  set  at  nought.  But  see  what 
hope  Almighty  God  rouses  in  us :  if  our  head 
has  gone  above,  we,  His  members,  will  follow 
Him.  In  that  we  hope;  of  that  we  preach; 
on  that  we  live.  Know,  O  man,  that  if  thou 
wilt  thou  canst  go  to  Paradise,  for  thither  has 
thy  Savior  Christ  gone;  but  know  this  also, 
that  not  by  thine  own  nature,  not  by  means 
of  silver  and  gold,  not  by  thy  virtue,  wilt 
thou  reach  that  place.  He  has  given  gifts 
unto  men,  and  through  these  thou  mayest 
reach  Paradise,  if  thou  only  wilt.  He  has 
given  thee  the  gifts  of  His  Holy  Ghost,  and 
before  all  the  gift  of  knowledge  by  which  He 
enlightens  thee  and  shows  thee  by  that  light 
thy  goal.  Thereupon  He  gives  thee  the  gift 
of  wisdom,  by  which  thou  learnest  to  love 
thy  goal,  and  perceivest  how  much  thou  need- 
est  love.  Christ  then  says  to  man :  Remain  in 
My  love,  leave  the  things  of  this  world,  fol- 
low Me  to  heaven.  And  because  it  is  needful 
for  thee  to  know  that  this  world  amounts  to 
nothing,  He  gives  thee  experience  that  it  may 
say  to  thee  that  thou  must  soon  leave  this 
world  in  which  nothing  lasts.  Through  many 
difficulties  and  doubts,  man  must  get  so  far 
and  know  what  to  do;  therefore  thou  hast 
the  gift  of  counsel.  Hold  fast  to  this  counsel, 
and  follow  Christ,  who  will  always  give  thee 
good  counsel.  He  will  give  thee  not  the  treas- 
ures of  this  world,  but  eternal  glory  and 

96 


SAVONAROLA 


undying  happiness.  What  wilt  thou  do,  0 
child  of  man?  Leave  this  world,  enter  the 
service  of  Christ.  He  is  waiting  for  thee, 
and  will  reward  thy  service,  for  He  is  a  boun- 
tiful rewarder.  Let  every  one  then  hasten  to 
serve  Him.  But  because  each  one  is  bound  to 
care  for  the  salvation  of  his  brother,  and  to 
lead  him  to  Christ,  therefore  the  Lord  gives 
thee  the  gift  of  love,  by  which  thou  shouldst 
warn  thy  brother,  thy  neighbor,  thy  friend, 
thy  wife,  every  one,  and  with  all  thy  strength 
and  zeal  shouldst  lead  them  to  Christ.  But 
in  this  world  man  must  go  through  joy  and 
sorrow.  To  oppose  the  joys  of  earth,  Christ 
gives  thee  fear,  that  thou  mightest  always  be 
careful  lest  thou  shouldst  fall,  and  not  let  thy 
joyous  days  separate  thee  from  the  grace  of 
Christ:  to  oppose  unhappiness,  He  gives  thee 
strength  to  resist. 

What  do  ye  want,  0  children  of  men;  will 
ye  not  follow  Christ  who  has  gone  up  on 
high  and  has  departed  to  prepare  a  place  for 
you  in  glory  ?  Thou  comest  not  into  the  serv- 
ice of  the  Lord,  because  thou  art  not  able  to 
believe  these  words.  If  thou  didst  but  believe 
thou  wouldst  stand  no  longer  indifferent. 
Thou  art  unbelieving,  thou  art  unthankful, 
and  the  Lord  will  punish  thy  unbelief  even  as 
on  the  morning  of  His  ascension  He  punished 
the  unbelief  of  His  apostles.  Because  I  have 
explained  to  thee  this  morning  this  Gospel,  I 
must  punish  the  hardness  and  unthankful  ness 

1—7  97 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

of  thy  heart.  Thou  hast  refused  the  service 
of  the  Lord,  who  has  ascended  to  prepare  for 
thee  the  highest  glory. 

I  call  upon  all  men  and  women,  all  whose 
lives  are  ruined  in  sorrows  and  troubles. 
What  do  ye  fear  ?  He  who  believes  that  Christ 
is  above  no  longer  fears  anything.  Come  then 
all  ye  into  His  service.  Jesus  reproved  the 
unbelief  and  the  hard-heartedness  of  His  dis- 
ciples, because  they  did  not  believe  those  who 
had  seen  Him  after  He  had  risen.  Without 
faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God.  No  doubt 
the  apostles  said:  How  can  we  believe  these 
women  ?  But  these  women  were  of  pure  heart 
before  God,  and  therefore  the  Savior  reproved 
His  disciples.  Ye  deserve  still  sharper  repri- 
mands. To  the  disciples  a  few  women  an- 
nounced the  news  that  He  had  risen.  Ye  hear 
all  this,  and  in  addition  all  the  glorious  reve- 
lations in  which  the  Lord  after  this  manifested 
Himself  on  earth.  Why  do  ye  not  come  to 
serve  Christ?  Ye  do  not  truly  believe,  be- 
cause ye  are  so  full  of  sin,  and  despise  God's 
commandments.  Ye  do  not  deserve  the  gift 
of  faith.  He  who  has  faith  should  show  it 
in  his  deeds,  that  he  may  have  what  he  says 
he  has,  and  ma,y  know  what  he  has;  namely, 
the  certainty  of  the  divine  word,  which  can 
not  err,  the  goodness  of  God,  and  His  guid- 
ance into  all  goodness.  On  account  of  thy 
sins,  thou  hast  not  the  true  light  which  would 
have  enabled  thee  to  see  all  goodness.  Thou 

98 


SAVONAROLA 


art  sunk  in  vice,  drunken  with  greed  and 
luxury,  and  all  the  works  of  this  world. 
Thou  seekest  only  power  and  glory.  And 
wherefore  ?  If  thou  hadst  faith,  thou  wouldst 
not  seek  such  things,  for  thou  wouldst  know 
that  faith  would  give  thee  a  much  higher 
crown.  From  these  sins  have  come  thy  unbe- 
lief and  thy  hardness  of  heart.  Therefore 
the  words  of  faith  do  not  touch  thy  heart: 
it  is  a  heart  of  stone  and  iron.  Throw  off 
thy  load  of  sin  and  give  thy  will  to  righteous- 
ness ;  then  will  thy  hard-heartedness  end,  and 
God  will  bestow  on  thee  the  gift  of  faith. 
What  wilt  thou?  Why  standest  thou  so  un- 
certain and  irresolute?  Why  dost  thou  not 
hasten  to  Him,  and  see  how  He  leaves  thy 
life,  how  He  goes  into  the  heavens,  to  which 
He  bids  thee  come  up.  Leave  at  length  thy 
sensual  life  and  enter  the  pathway  of  Christ. 
Hesitate  no  longer,  begin  to-day,  put  it  not 
off  until  to-morrow.  If  thou  hast  faith,  thou 
canst  not  delay  longer,  and  if  thy  heart  is 
right  before  God,  He  will  give  thee  the  light 
of  faith  which  will  enable  thee  to  distinguish 
the  false  from  the  true  faith,  and  so  when  on 
the  right  road  not  to  fall  into  error.  Then 
wilt  thou  know  for  thyself  that  the  Gospel 
makes  good  men  out  of  those  who  truly  be- 
lieve, and  thine  experience  will  tell  thee  that 
thou  hast  no  occasion  to  doubt. 

A  story  from  the  Old  Testament  might  per- 
haps serve  as  a  parable  and  make  clearer  what 

99 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

I  mean.  When  Balak  heard  of  Israel's  march, 
he  was  afraid  and  sent  to  call  Balaam  to  curse 
Israel  for  him.  Balaam  set  out  on  his  way 
with  his  ass,  accompanied  by  an  angel  of  the 
Lord,  because  Balaam  was  going  to  Balak 
with  an  evil  intention.  The  beast  sought  in 
vain  to  turn  into  the  field,  and  finally  fell 
down  between  two  walls,  and  suffered  under 
blows  and  curses,  until  the  prophet  saw  the 
angel  and  perceived  his  sin.  Balak  is  the 
devil  who  would  ruin  the  people  of  God;  by 
Balaam  we  can  understand  the  nobles,  the 
prelates,  the  preachers,  the  learned,  who  are 
held  captive  by  their  arrogance.  The  two 
servants  are  those  who  follow  the  proud,  serve 
them,  and  flatter  them,  especially  the  lazy 
clergy  and  monks,  who  so  far  as  outward 
show  goes  live  a  virtuous  life,  but  who  live 
for  ceremonies  and  take  care  not  to  speak  the 
truth.  To  these  belong  many  citizens  who  live 
apparently  virtuously  and  hide  their  pride. 
Because  they  commit  no  sins  of  the  flesh 
which  can  be  noticed,  they  are  full  of  piety 
in  their  outward  ceremonies,  but  within  full 
of  arrogance.  These  are  the  members  of  the 
devil,  for  the  devil  neither  eats,  drinks,  nor 
sleeps,  he  is  neither  a  miser  nor  a  wanton, 
but  is  within  full  of  pride  as  are  these.  By 
the  ass  we  are  to  understand  the  simple  peo- 
ple. They  are  led  in  the  way  of  sin  by  the 
ceremonies  of  the  lazy,  since  they  are  not 
thought  fit  for  the  worship  of  the  heart,  and 

100 


SAVONAROLA 


must  be  led  by  masses,  penance,  and  indul- 
gences, and  they  throw  away  what  might  be 
of  profit  for  money  and  for  candles.  The 
lazy  give  them  council  in  their  sermons: 
Give  some  vestment,  build  a  chapel,  and  thou 
wilt  be  freed  from  any  danger  of  going  to 
hell.  Do  not  believe  these  mountebanks;  no 
outward  act  can  bring  you  to  Paradise,  not 
even  miracles  and  prophecy,  but  only  the 
grace  of  God,  if  you  have  humility  and  love 
....  Before  the  ass  stood  an  angel  with 
a  sword.  This  is  Christ,  who  speaks  to  the 
ass:  Walk  no  longer  in  the  path  of  sin,  for 
I  have  ready  for  you  a  great  scourge.  The 
ass  alone  saw  the  angel;  for  the  simple  first 
hear  the  word  of  the  Lord,  but  Balaam  and 
such  as  are  with  him  will  hear  nothing  of  it. 
The  ass  left  the  path  of  captivity  and  went 
out  into  the  field,  into  the  way  of  the  Lord. 
"For  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  treasure 
hid  in  a  field;  which  when  a  man  found  he 
sold  all  that  he  had  and  bought  that  field." 
So  the  simple  go  into  the  holy  field  of  the 
Scriptures  and  say:  "Let  me  look  around  a 
little,  for  the  flowers  of  this  field  bear  fruit." 
Yea,  our  fathers,  the  prophets,  apostles,  and 
martyrs  bore  fruit,  they  who  died  with  joy 
for  the  truth.  These  are  they  who  go  into  the 
field  and  speak  the  truth  in  the  face  of  death. 
Come  into  the  city,  where  the  nobles  and  the 
masters  taken  captive  by  sin  crowd  together, 
cry  the  lazy  troop  of  monks:  0  fathers, 

101 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

it  would  be  well  if  when  you  spoke  of  these 
things,  you  touched  not  this  string,  by  which 
you  allow  yourselves  to  fall  into  disgrace  and 
disfavor.  They  have  said  that  already  to  me. 
Our  persecution  begins  if  we  begin  to  preach. 
But  Jesus  was  willing  to  die  for  the  truth  of 
what  He  said;  should  we  forsake  the  truth 
in  order  not  to  displease  men?  No,  we  will 
say  it  in  every  way,  and  with  Balaam's  ass  go 
into  the  field. 

Think  not  that  I  am  such  a  fool  as  to 
undertake  these  things  without  good  reason. 
I  call  heaven  and  earth  to  witness  against  me 
if  I  do  not  speak  the  truth.  For  against  all 
the  world  is  my  sermon;  every  one  contra- 
dicts it.  If  I  go  about  with  lies,  then  I  have 
Christ  against  me;  therefore  I  have  heaven 
and  earth  against  me,  and  how  then  could  I 
stand  ?  As  such  a  trifler  with  holy  things  how 
should  I  dare  rise  up?  Believe  me,  I  speak 
the  truth,  I  have  seen  it  with  my  eyes,  and 
touched  it  with  my  hands.  Believe  it !  If  I 
speak  not  the  truth,  I  consign  myself  body 
and  soul  to  destruction;  buT  I  tell  you  I  am 
certain  of  the  truth,  and  I  would  that  all 
were  as  I  am.  I  say  that  of  the  truth  on 
which  I  stand,  not  as  tho  I  wished  that 
others  had  my  failings  as  well.  So  come  then 
into  the  service  of  Jesus;  come  to  the  truth, 
come  here,  I  bid  you.  Do  ye  not  know  ho\r 
I  explained  the  revelation  of  St.  John? 
There  were  many  who  said  that  I  spoke  too 

102 


SAVONAROLA 


much  in  detail,  and  went  too  deep  into  it. 
There  stood  the  angel  before  the  ass,  and 
wanted  it  to  go  out  into  the  field,  but  Balaam 
smote  it;  and  ye  know  not  how  much  oppo- 
sition I  must  yet  undergo.  The  lazy  monks 
were  the  first  who  called  me  a  fool  and  revo- 
lutionist, and  on  the  other  side  stood  the 
weak  and  the  simple,  who  said  in  their  inno- 
cent faith:  "Oh,  if  we  could  only  do  what 
He  teaches!"  Then  I  had  war  with  the  citi- 
zens and  the  great  judges  of  this  time,  whom 
my  manner  of  preaching  did  not  please.  I 
was  between  two  walls;  the  angel  warned  me, 
threatening  eternal  death  from  this  road,  and 
I  received  Balaam's  blows.  Ye  know  my 
persecution  and  my  danger;  but  I  knew  that 
I  was  on  the  way  to  victory  and  said  always : 
No  human  being  can  drive  my  cause  from 
the  world.  Balaam,  thou  leanest  thy  foot 
against  the  walls,  but  do  as  thou  wilt,  I  will 
crush  thy  foot ;  I  leaned  on  the  wall,  on  Christ, 
I  leaned  on  His  grace,  I  hoped;  leave  off 
thine  anger  and  threatening,  thou  canst  not 
get  me  away  from  the  wall.  I  say  to  all  of 
you:  Come  to  the  truth,  forsake  your  vice 
and  your  malice,  that  I  may  not  have  to  tell 
you  of  your  grief.  I  say  it  to  you,  0  Italy, 
I  say  it  to  you,  O  Rome,  I  say  it  to  all  of 
you;  return  and  do  penance.  There  stands 
before  you  the  holy  truth;  she  can  not  fall; 
she  can  not  bend  or  give  way ;  wait  not  until 
the  blows  fall. 

103 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

In  everything  am  I  opprest;  even  the 
spiritual  power  is  against  me  with  Peter's 
mighty  key.  Narrow  is  my  path  and  full  of 
trouble;  like  Balaam's  ass,  I  must  throw  my- 
self on  the  ground  and  cry:  "See,  here  I 
am;  I  am  ready  to  die  for  the  truth."  But 
when  Balaam  beat  his  fallen  beast,  it  said 
to  him:  "What  have  I  done  to  thee?"  So 
I  say  to  you :  ' '  Come  here  and  tell  me :  what 
have  I  done  to  you?  Why  do  you  beat  me? 
I  have  spoken  the  truth  to  you ;  I  have  warned 
you  to  choose  a  virtuous  life ;  I  have  led  many 
souls  to  Christ."  But  you  answer:  "Thou 
hast  spoken  evil  of  us,  therefore,  thou 
shouldst  suffer  the  stripes  thou  deservest." 
But  I  named  no  one,  I  only  blamed  your 
vices  in  general.  If  you  have  sinned,  be  angry 
with  yourselves,  not  with  me.  I  name  none 
of  you,  but  if  the  sins  I  have  mentioned  are 
without  question  yours,  then  they  and  not  I 
make  you  known.  As  the  smitten  beast  asked 
Balaam,  so  I  ask  you:  "Tell  me,  am  I  not 
your  ass?  and  do  you  not  know  that  I  have 
been  obedient  to  you  up  to  this  very  moment, 
that  I  have  even  done  what  my  superiors  have 
commanded,  and  have  always  behaved  myself 
peaceably?"  You  know  this,  and  because 
I  am  now  so  entirely  different,  you  may  well 
believe  that  a  great  cause  drives  me  to  it. 
Many  knew  me  as  I  was  at  first ;  if  I  remained 
so  I  could  have  had  as  much  honor  as  I 
wanted.  I  lived  six  years  among  you,  and 

104 


SAVONAROLA 


now  I  speak  otherwise,  nevertheless  I  an- 
nounce to  you  the  truth  that  is  well  known. 
You  see  in  what  sorrows  and  what  opposition 
I  must  now  live,  and  I  can  say  with 
Jeremiah:  "O,  my  mother,  that  thou  hast 
borne  me  a  man  of  strife  and  contention  to 
the  whole  earth!"  But  where  is  a  father  or 
a  mother  that  can  say  I  have  led  their  son 
into  sin ;  one  that  can  say  I  have  ruined  her 
husband  or  his  wife?  Everybody  knows  my 
manner  of  life,  therefore  it  is  right  for  you 
to  believe  that  I  speak  the  truth  which  every- 
body knows.  You  think  that  it  is  impossible 
for  a  man  to  do  what  the  faith  I  have 
preached  tells  him  to  do:  with  God  it  would 
be  easy  for  you. 

The  ass  alone  saw  the  angel,  the  others  did 
not;  so  open  your  eyes.  Thank  God,  many 
have  them  open.  You  have  seen  many  learned 
men  whom  you  thought  wise,  and  they  have 
withstood  our  cause:  now  they  believe;  many 
noted  masters  who  were  hard  and  proud 
against  us:  now  humility  caste  them  down. 
You  have  also  seen  many  women  turn  from 
their  vanity  to  simplicity ;  vicious  youths  who 
are  now  improved  and  conduct  themselves  in 
a  new  way.  Many,  indeed,  have  received  this 
doctrine  with  humility.  That  doctrine  has 
stood  firm,  no  matter  how  attacked  with  the 
intention  of  showing  that  it  was  a  doctrine 
opposed  to  Christ.  God  does  that  to  mani- 
fest His  wisdom,  to  show  how  it  finally  over- 

105 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

comes  all  other  wisdom.  And  He  is  willing 
that  His  servants  be  spoken  against  that  they 
may  show  their  patience  and  humility,  and  for 
the  sake  of  His  love  not  be  afraid  of 
martyrdom. 

0  ye  men  and  women,  I  bid  you  to  this 
truth;  let  those  who  are  in  captivity  contra- 
dict you  as  much  as  they  will,  God  will  come 
and  oppose  their  pride.  Ye  proud,  however, 
if  you  do  not  turn  about  and  become  better, 
then  will  the  sword  and  the  pestilence  fall 
upon  you ;  with  famine  and  war  will  Italy  be 
turned  upside  down.  I  foretell  you  this  be- 
cause I  am  sure  of  it:  if  I  were  not,  I  would 
not  mention  it.  Open  your  eyes  as  Balaam 
opened  his  eyes  when  the  angel  said  to  him: 
"Had  it  not  been  for  thine  ass,  I  would 
have  slain  thee. "  So  I  say  to  you,  ye  cap- 
tives :  Had  it  not  been  for  the  good  and  their 
preaching,  it  would  have  been  wo  unto  you. 
Balaam  said:  "If  this  way  is  not  good,  I 
will  return."  You  say  likewise,  you  would 
turn  back  to  God,  if  your  way  is  not  good. 
And  to  the  angel  you  say  as  Balaam  said: 
"What  wilt  thou  that  we  should  do?"  The 
angel  answers  thee  as  he  answered  Balaam: 
"Thou  shalt  not  curse  this  people,  but  shalt 
say  what  I  put  in  thy  mouth."  But  in  thy 
mouth  he  puts  the  warning  that  thou  shouldst 
do  good,  convince  one  another  of  the  divine 
truth,  and  bear  evil  manfully.  For  it  is  the 
life  of  a  Christian  to  do  good  and  to  bear 

106 


SAVONAROLA 


wrong  and  to  continue  stedfast  unto  death, 
and  this  is  the  Gospel,  which  we,  according  to 
the  text  of  the  Gospel  for  to-day,  shall  preach 
in  all  the  world. 

What  wilt  thou  have  of  us,  brother?  you 
ask.  I  desire  that  you  serve  Christ  with  zeal 
and  not  with  sloth  and  indifference.  I  desire 
that  you  do  not  mourn,  but  in  thankfulness 
raise  your  hands  to  heaven,  whenever  your 
brother  or  your  son  enters  the  service  of 
Christ.  The  time  is  come  when  Christ  will 
work  not  only  in  you  but  through  you  and 
in  others ;  whoever  hears,  let  him  say :  ' '  Come 
brother.  Let  one  draw  the  other.  Turn 
about,  thou  who  thinkest  that  thou  art  of  a 
superior  mind  and  therefore  canst  not  accept 
the  faith."  If  I  could  only  explain  this 
whole  Gospel  to  thee  word  for  word,  I  would 
then  scourge  thy  forehead  and  prove  to  thee 
that  the  faith  could  not  be  false  and  that 
Christ  is  thy  God  who  is  enthroned  in  heaven, 
and  waits  for  thee.  Or  dost  thou  believe? 
Where  are  thy  works?  Why  dost  thou  delay 
about  them?  Hear  this:  There  was  once 
a  monk  who  spoke  to  a  distinguished  man 
about  the  faith,  and  got  him  to  answrer  why 
he  did  not  believe.  He  answered  thus :  ' '  You 
yourself  do  not  believe,  for  if  you  believed 
you  would  show  other  works."  Therefore,  to 
you  also  I  say:  If  you  believe,  where  are 
your  works?  Your  faith  is  something  every 
one  knows,  for  every  one  knows  that  Christ 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

was  put  to  death  by  the  Jews,  and  that  every- 
where men  pray  to  Him.  The  whole  world 
knows  that  His  glory  has  not  been  spread  by 
force  and  weapons,  but  by  poor  fishermen. 

0  wise  man,  do  you  think  the  poor  fishermen 
were  not  clever  enough  for  this  ?    Where  they 
worked,  there  they  made  hearts  better ;  where 
they  could  not  work,  there  men  remained  bad ; 
and  therefore  was  the  faith  true  and  from 
God.     The  signs  which  the  Lord  had  prom- 
ised  followed   their  teaching:   in   His  name 
they  drove  out  the  devil ;  they  spoke  in  new 
tongues ;  if  they  drank  any  deadly  drink,  they 
received  therefrom  no  harm.     Even  if  these 
wonders  had  not  occurred,  there  would  have 
been  the  wonder  of  wonders,  that  poor  fish- 
ermen without  any  miracle  could  accomplish 
so  great  a  work  as  the  faith.     It  came  from 
God,  and  so  is  Christ  true  and  Christ  is  thy 
God,  who  is  in  heaven  and  awaits  thee. 

You  say  you  believe  the  Gospel,  but  you 
do  not  believe  me.  But  the  purer  anything 
is,  so  much  the  nearer  it  stands  to  its  end 
and  purpose.  The  Christian  life  purifies  the 
heart,  and  places  it  very  near  to  the  truth. 
To  the  Christian  life  will  I  lead  you,  if  you 
would  have  the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  If 

1  had  wished  to  deceive  you,  why  should  I 
have  given  you  as  the  chief  of  my  gifts  the 
means  of  discovering  my  fraud?     I  would 
be  verily  a  fool  to  try  to  impose  upon  you 
with  a  falsehood  which  you  would  soon  de- 

108 


SAVONAROLA 


tect ;  only  because  I  offered  you  the  truth,  did 
I  call  you.  Come  here,  I  fear  you  not;  the 
closer  you  examine,  the  clearer  the  truth  will 
become  to  you. 

There  are  some,  however,  who  are  ashamed 
of  the  cross  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  say :  If 
we  should  believe  that,  we  should  be  despised 
everywhere,  especially  by  the  wisest.  But 
if  you  would  know  the  truth,  look  only  on 
the  lives  of  those  who  would  have  to  cry  wo 
on  their  unbelief  if  they  should  be  measured 
by  deeds.  If  you  are  ashamed  of  the  cross, 
the  Lord  was  not  ashamed  to  bear  that  cross 
for  you,  and  to  die  on  that  cross  for  you. 
Be  not  ashamed  of  His  service  and  of  the 
defense  of  the  truth.  Look  at  the  servants 
of  the  devil,  who  are  not  ashamed  in  the 
open  places,  in  the  palaces,  and  everywhere 
to  speak  evil  and  to  revile  us.  Bear  then  a 
little  shame  only  for  your  Lord;  for  whoever 
follows  Him  will,  according  to  our  gospel, 
in  His  name  drive  out  the  devil;  that  is,  he 
will  drive  out  his  sins,  and  lead  a  virtuous 
life ;  he  will  drive  out  serpents ;  he  will  throw 
out  the  lazy  who  come  into  the  houses,  and 
say  evil  things  under  the  pretense  of  right- 
eousness, and  so  are  like  poisonous  serpents. 
You  will  see  how  children  can  withstand  them 
with  the  truth  of  God,  and  drive  them  away. 
If  a  believer  drinks  anything  deadly  it  will 
not  hurt  him:  this  deadly  drink  is  the  false 
doctrines  of  the  lazy,  from  whom,  as  you  con- 

109 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

tend  with  them,  a  little  comes  also  to  you. 
But  he  who  stands  unharmed  in  the  faith, 
cries  to  you:  See  that  you  do  good;  seek 
God 's  glory,  not  your  own.  He  that  does  that 
is  of  the  truth,  and  remains  unharmed.  The 
Lord  says  further  of  the  faithful :  They  shall 
lay  their  hands  on  the  sick  and  shall  heal 
them.  The  hands  are  the  works,  and  the  good 
lay  such  hands  on  the  weak  that  they  may 
support  them  when  they  totter.  Do  I  not 
teach  you  according  to  the  Gospel?  Why  do 
you  hesitate  and  go  not  into  the  service  of 
the  Lord?  Do  you  ask  me  still  what  you 
ought  to  do?  I  will,  in  conclusion,  tell  you. 
Look  to  Christ  and  you  will  find  that  all 
He  says  concerns  faith.  Ask  the  apostle;  he 
speaks  of  nothing  else  than  of  faith.  If  you 
have  the  ground  of  all,  if  you  have  faith,  you 
will  always  do  what  is  good.  Without  faith 
man  always  falls  into  sin.  You  must  seek 
faith  in  order  to  be  good,  or  else  your  faith 
will  become  false.  Christ  commanded  His 
disciples  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  all  the  world, 
and  your  wise  men  call  a  man  a  little  world, 
a  microcosm.  So  then  preach  to  yourself, 
O  man,  woman,  and  child.  Three  parts 
the  world  has  in  you  also.  Preach  first  of 
all  to  your  knowledge,  and  say  to  it:  If  you 
draw  near  this  truth,  you  will  have  much 
faith;  wherefore  do  you  hesitate  to  use  it? 
To  your  will,  say :  Thou  seest  that  everything 
passes  away;  therefore  love  not  the  world, 

110 


SAVONAROLA 


love  Christ.  Thereupon  turn  to  the  second 
part  of  your  world,  and  say  to  it:  Be  thank- 
ful, O  my  memory,  for  the  mercies  God  has 
shown  thee,  that  thou  thiukest  not  of  the 
things  of  this  world  but  of  the  mercy  of 
thy  creation,  and  thy  redemption  through  the 
blood  of  the  Son  of  God.  Then  go  to  the 
third  part,  to  thy  imagination,  and  proclaim 
to  it:  Set  nothing  before  my  eyes  but  my 
death,  bring  nothing  before  me  but  the 
Crucified,  embrace  Him,  fly  to  Him.  Then 
go  through  all  the  cities  of  thy  world  and 
preach  to  them.  First  say  to  thine  eyes: 
Look  not  on  vanity.  To  thy  ears  say: 
Listen  not  to  the  words  of  the  lazy,  but 
only  to  the  words  of  Jesus.  To  thy  tongue 
say:  Speak  no  more  evil.  For  thy  tongue 
is  as  a  great  rock  that  rolls  from  the  summit 
of  a  mountain,  and  at  first  falls  slowly,  then 
ever  faster  and  more  furiously.  It  begins 
with  gentle  murmuring,  then  it  utters  small 
sins,  and  then  greater,  until  it  finally  breaks 
forth  in  open  blasphemy.  To  thy  palate 
say:  It  is  necessary  that  we  do  a  little  pen- 
ance. In  all  thy  senses  be  clean,  and  turn 
to  the  Lord,  for  He  it  is  who  will  give  you 
correction  and  purity.  To  thy  hands  say: 
Do  good  and  give  alms;  and  let  thy  feet  go 
in  the  good  way.  Our  reformation  has  begun 
in  the  Spirit  of  God,  if  you  take  it  to  heart 
that  each  one  has  to  preach  to  himself.  Then 
will  we  in  the  name  of  Jesus  drive  out  the 

in 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT  SERMONS 

devils  of  temptation.  Yes,  call  upon  Jesus 
as  often  as  temptation  approaches:  call  upon 
Him  a  hundred  times  and  believe  firmly,  and 
the  temptation  will  depart.  Then  will  we 
speak  with  new  tongues;  we  will  speak  with 
God.  We  shall  drive  away  serpents;  the  en- 
ticement of  the  senses  are  these  serpents.  If 
we  drink  anything  deadly  it  will  not  hurt 
us ;  if  anger  and  lust  arise  in  us,  at  the  name 
of  Jesus  they  will  have  to  give  way.  We  shall 
lay  our  hands  upon  the  sick  and  heal  them; 
with  good  deeds  shall  we  strengthen  the  weak 
soul.  If  thou  feelest  thy  weakness,  flee  to 
God,  and  He  will  strengthen;  therefore  He 
is  thy  only  refuge.  He  is  thy  Savior  and  thy 
Lord,  who  went  into  the  heavens  to  prepare 
a  place  for  thee,  and  to  wait  thee  there.  What 
do  you  intend  to  do?  Go  and  follow  Jesus, 
who  is  praised  from  everlasting  to  everlasting. 
Amen. 


112 


LUTHER 

THE  METHOD  AND   FRUITS   OF  JUS- 
TIFICATION 


I— a 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTE 

MARTIN  LUTHER,  leader  of  the  Refor- 
mation, was  born  at  Eisleben  in  1483, 
and  died  there  1546.  His  rugged  charac- 
ter and  powerful  intellect,  combined  with 
a  strong  physique,  made  him  a  natural 
orator,  so  that  it  was  said  "his  words 
were  half  battles." 

Of  his  own  method  of  preaching  he 
once  remarked: 

"When  I  ascend  the  pulpit  I  see  no 
heads,  but  imagine  those  that  are  before 
me  to  be  all  blocks.  When  I  preach  I  sink 
myself  deeply  down ;  I  regard  neither  doc- 
tors nor  masters,  of  which  there  are  in  the 
church  above  forty.  But  I  have  an  eye  to 
the  multitude  of  young  people,  children, 
and  servants,  of  which  there  are  more 
than  two  thousand.  I  preach  to  them. 
When  he  preaches  on  any  article  a  man 
must  first  distinguish  it,  then  define,  de- 
scribe, and  show  what  it  is;  thirdly,  he 
must  produce  sentences  from  the  Scripture 
to  prove  and  to  strengthen  it ;  fourthly,  he 
must  explain  it  by  examples;  fifthly,  he 
must  adorn  it  with  similitudes;  and 
lastly,  he  must  admonish  and  arouse  the 
indolent,  correct  the  disobedient,  and  re- 
prove the  authors  of  false  doctrine." 


LUTHER 

1483—1546 

THE   METHOD   AND   FRUITS   OF  JUS- 
TIFICATION 

Now  I  say,  that  the  heir,  as  long  as  he  is  a  child, 
differeth  nothing  from  a  servant,  though  he  be  Lord 
of  all;  but  is  under  tutors  and  governors  until  the 
time  appointed  of  the  father.  Even  so  we,  when  we 
were  children,  were  in  bondage  under  the  elements  of 
the  world:  but  when  the  fullness  of  the  time  was 
come,  God  sent  forth  his  Son,  made  of  a  woman,  made 
under  the  law,  to  redeem  them  that  were  under  the 
law,  that  we  might  receive  the  adoption  of  sons.  And 
because  ye  are  sons,  God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of 
his  Son  into  your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father. 
Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a  servant,  but  a  son,  and 
if  a  son,  then  an  heir  of  God  through  Christ. — Gal. 
iv.,  1-7. 

THIS  text  touches  the  very  pith  of  Paul's 
chief  doctrine.     The  cause  why  it  is 
well  understood    but1  by    few  is,  not 
that  it  is  so  obscure  and  difficult,  but  because 
there  is  so  little  knowledge  of  faith  left  in 
the  world;  without  which  it  is  not  possible 
to  understand  Paul,  who  everywhere  treats 
of  faith  with  such  earnestness  and  force.     I 
must,  therefore,  speak  in  such  a  manner  that 

115 


THE   V/ORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

this  text  will  appear  plain;  and  that  I  may 
more  conveniently  illustrate  it,  I  will  speak 
a  few  words  by  way  of  preface. 

First,  therefore,  we  must  understand  the 
doctrine  in  which  good  works  are  set  forth, 
far  different  from  that  which  treats  of  jus- 
tification; as  there  is  a  great  difference  be- 
tween the  substance  and  its  working ;  between 
man  and  his  work.  Justification  pertains  to 
man,  and  not  to  works ;  for  man  is  either  jus- 
tified and  saved,  or  judged  and  condemned, 
and  not  works.  Neither  is  it  a  controversy 
among  the  godly,  that  man  is  not  justified 
by  works,  but  righteousness  must  come  from 
some  other  source  than  from  his  own  works: 
for  Moses,  writing  of  Abel,  says,  "The  Lord 
had  respect  unto  Abel,  and  to  his  offering." 
First,  He  had  respect  to  Abel  himself,  then 
to  his  offering ;  because  Abel  was  first  counted 
righteous  and  acceptable  to  God,  and  then 
for  his  sake  his  offering  was  accepted  also,  and 
not  he  because  of  his  offering.  Again,  God 
had  no  respect  to  Cain,  and  therefore  neither 
to  his  offering:  therefore  thou  seest  that  re- 
gard is  had  first  to  the  worker,  then  to  the 
work.  3 

From  this  it  is  plainly  gathered  that  no 
work  can  be  acceptable  to  God,  unless  he 
which  worketh  it  was  first  accepted  by  Him: 
and  again,  that  no  work  is  disallowed  of  Him 
unless  the  author  thereof  be  disallowed  before. 
I  think  these  remarks  will  be  sufficient  con- 

116 


LUTHER 

cerning  this  matter  at  present,  by  which  it 
is  easy  to  understand  that  there  are  two  sorts 
of  works,  those  before  justification  and  those 
after  it;  and  that  these  last  are  good  works 
indeed,  but  the  former  only  appear  to  be 
good.  Hereof  cometh  such  disagreement  be- 
tween God  and  those  counterfeit  holy  ones; 
for  this  cause  nature  and  reason  rise  and  rage 
against  the  Holy  Ghost;  this  is  that  of  which 
almost  the  whole  Scripture  treats.  The  Lord 
in  His  Word  defines  all  works  that  go  before 
justification  to  be  evil,  and  of  no  importance, 
and  requires  that  man  before  all  things  be 
justified.  Again,  He  pronounces  all  men 
which  are  unregenerate,  and  have  that  nature 
which  they  received  of  their  parents  un- 
changed, to  be  righteous  and  wicked,  accord- 
ing to  that  saying  "all  men  are  liars,"  that 
is,  unable  to  perform  their  duty,  and  to  do 
those  things  which  they  ought  to  do;  and 
"Every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his 
heart  are  only  evil  continually";  whereby  he 
is  able  to  do  nothing  that  is  good,  for  the 
fountain  of  his  actions,  which  is  his  heart, 
is  corrupted.  If  he  do  works  which  outwardly 
seem  good,  they  are  no  better  than  the  offering 
of  Cain. 

Here  again  comes  forth  reason,  our  rev- 
erend mistress,  seeming  to  be  marvelously 
wise,  but  who  indeed  is  unwise  and  blind, 
gainsaying  her  God,  and  reproving  Him  of 
lying;  being  furnished  with  her  follies  and 

117 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

feeble  honor,  to  wit,  the  light  of  nature,  free 
will,  the  strength  of  nature;  also  with  the 
books  of  the  heathen  and  the  doctrines  of 
men,  contending  that  the  works  of  a  man 
not  justified  are  good  works,  and  not  like 
those  of  Cain,  yea,  and  so  good  that  he  that 
worketh  them  is  justified  by  them;  that  God 
will  have  respect,  first  to  the  wrorks,  then  to 
the  worker.  Such  doctrine  now  bears  the 
sway  everywhere  in  schools,  colleges,  monas- 
teries wherein  no  other  saints  than  Cain  was, 
have  rule  and  authority.  Now  from  this  error 
comes  another:  they  which  attribute  so  much 
to  works,  and  do  not  accordingly  esteem  the 
worker,  and  sound  justification,  go  so  far 
that  they  ascribe  all  merit  and  righteousness 
to  works  done  before  justification,  making 
no  account  of  faith,  alleging  that  which 
James  saith,  that  without  works  faith  is 
dead.  This  sentence  of  the  apostle  they  do 
not  rightly  understand;  making  but  little 
account  of  faith,  they  always  stick  to 
works,  whereby  they  think  to  merit  exceed- 
ingly, and  are  persuaded  that  for  their  work 's 
sake  they  shall  obtain  the  favor  of  God :  by 
this  means  they  continually  disagree  with 
God,  showing  themselves  to  be  the  posterity 
of  Cain.  God  hath  respect  unto  man,  then 
unto  the  works  of  man;  God  alloweth  the 
work  for  the  sake  of  him  that  worketh,  these 
require  that  for  the  work's  sake  the  worker 
may  be  crowned. 

118 


LUTHER 

But  here,  perhaps,  thou  wilt  say,  what 
is  needful  to  be  done?  By  what  means  shall 
I  become  righteous  and  acceptable  to  God? 
How  shall  I  attain  to  this  perfect  justifica- 
tion ?  Those  the  gospel  answers,  teaching  that 
it  is  necessary  that  thou  hear  Christ,  and  re- 
pose thyself  wholly  on  Him,  denying  thyself 
and  distrusting  thine  own  strength;  by  this 
means  thou  shalt  be  changed  from  Cain  to 
Abel,  and  being  thyself  acceptable,  shalt  offer 
acceptable  gifts  to  the  Lord.  It  is  faith  that 
justifies  thee,  thou  being  endued  therewith; 
the  Lord  remitteth  all  thy  sins  by  the  media- 
tion of  Christ  His  Son,  in  whom  this  faith 
believeth  and  trusteth.  Moreover,  He  giveth 
unto  such  a  faith  His  Spirit,  which  changes 
the  man  and  makes  him  anew,  giving  him 
another  reason  and  another  will.  Such  a 
one  worketh  nothing  but  good  works.  Where- 
fore nothing  is  required  unto  justification  but 
to  hear  Jesus  Christ  our  Savior,  and  to  be- 
lieve in  Him.  Howbeit  these  are  not  the 
works  of  nature,  but  of  grace. 

He,  therefore,  that  endeavors  to  attain  to 
these  things  by  works  shutteth  the  way  to 
the  gospel,  to  faith,  grace,  Christ,  God,  and 
all  things  that  help  unto  salvation.  Again, 
nothing  is  necessary  in  order  to  accomplish 
good  works  but  justification;  and  he  that 
hath  attained  it  performs  good  works,  and 
not  any  other.  Hereof  it  sufficiently  appears 
that  the  beginning,  the  things  following,  and 

119 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT    SERMONS 

the  order  of  man's  salvation  are  after  this 
sort;  first  of  all  it  is  required  that  thou  hear 
the  Word  of  God ;  next  that  thou  believe ;  then 
that  thou  work;  and  so  at  last  become  saved 
and  happy.  He  that  changes  this  order, 
without  doubt  is  not  of  God.  Paul  also  de- 
scribes this,  saying,  "Whosoever  shall  call 
upon  the  name  of  the  Lord  shall  be  saved. 
How  then  shall  they  call  on  Him  in  whom 
they  have  not  believed?  and,  how  shall  they 
believe  in  Him  of  whom  they  have  not  heard? 
and,  how  shall  they  hear  without  a  preacher? 
and,  how  shall  they  preach  except  they  be 
sent?" 

Christ  teaches  us  to  pray  the  Lord  of  the 
harvest  to  send  forth  laborers  into  His 
harvest;  that  is,  sincere  preachers.  When 
we  hear  these  preach  the  true  Word  of  God, 
we  may  believe;  which  faith  justifies  a  man, 
and  makes  him  godly  indeed,  so  that  he  now 
calls  upon  God  in  the  spirit  of  holiness,  and 
works  nothing  but  that  which  is  good,  and 
thus  becomes  a  saved  man.  Thus  he  that 
believeth  shall  be  saved;  but  he  that  worketh 
without  faith  is  condemned;  as  Christ  saith, 
he  that  doth  not  believe  shall  be  condemned, 
from  which  no  works  shall  deliver  him.  Some 
say,  I  will  now  endeavor  to  become  honest. 
It  is  meet  surely  that  we  study  to  lead  an 
honest  life,  and  to  do  good  works.  But  if 
one  ask  them  how  we  may  apply  ourselves 
unto  honesty,  and  by  what  means  we  may 

120 


LUTHER 

attain  it,  they  answer,  that  we  must  fast, 
pray,  frequent  temples,  avoid  sins,  etc. 
Whereby  one  becomes  a  Carthusian  monk, 
another  chooses  some  other  order  of  monks, 
and  another  is  consecrated  a  priest;  some 
torment  their  flesh  by  wearing  hair-cloth, 
others  scourge  their  bodies  with  whips, 
others  afflict  themselves  in  a  different  manner ; 
but  these  are  of  Cain's  progeny,  and  their 
works  are  no  better  than  his;  for  they  con- 
tinue the  same  that  they  were  before,  ungodly, 
and  without  justification:  there  is  a  change 
made  of  outward  works  only,  of  apparel,  of 
place,  etc. 

They  scarce  think  of  faith,  they  presume 
only  on  such  works  as  seem  good  to  them- 
selves, thinking  by  them  to  get  to  heaven. 
But  Christ  said,  "Enter  in  at  the  strait 
gate,  for  I  say  unto  you,  many  seek  to  enter 
in,  and  can  not."  Why  is  this?  because 
they  know  not  what  this  narrow  gate  is;  for 
it  is  faith,  which  altogether  annihilates  or 
makes  a  man  appear  as  nothing  in  his  own 
eyes,  and  requires  him  not  to  trust  in  his  own 
works,  but  to  depend  upon  the  grace  of  God, 
and  be  prepared  to  leave  and  suffer  all  things. 
Those  holy  ones  of  Cain's  progeny  think  their 
good  works  are  the  narrow  gate ;  and  are  not, 
therefore,  extenuated  or  made  less,  whereby 
they  might  enter. 

When  we  begin  to  preach  of  faith  to  those 
that  believe  altogether  in  work>,  they  laugh 

121 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

and  hiss  at  us,  and  say,  "Dost  thou  count  us 
as  Turks  and  heathens,  whom  it  behooves 
now  first  to  learn  faith?  is  there  such  a  com- 
pany of  priests,  monks,  and  nuns,  and  is 
not  faith  known?  who  knoweth  not  what  he 
ought  to  believe?  even  sinners  know  that." 
Being  after  this  sort  animated  and  stirred 
up,  they  think  themselves  abundantly  en- 
dued with  faith,  and  that  the  rest  is  now 
to  be  finished  and  made  perfect  by  works. 
They  make  so  small  and  slender  account  of 
faith,  because  they  are  ignorant  what  faith 
is,  and  that  it  alone  doth  justify.  They  call 
it  faith,  believing  those  things  which  they 
have  heard  of  Christ;  this  kind  of  faith  the 
devils  also  have,  and  yet  they  are  not  jus- 
tified. But  this  ought  rather  to  be  called  an 
opinion  of  men.  To  believe  those  things  to 
be  true  which  are  preached  of  Christ  is  not 
sufficient  to  constitute  thee  a  Christian,  but 
thou  must  not  doubt  that  thou  art  of  the  num- 
ber of  them  unto  whom  all  the  benefits  of 
Christ  are  given  and  exhibited ;  which  he  that 
believes  must  plainly  confess,  that  he  is  holy, 
godly,  righteous,  the  son  of  God,  and  certain 
of  salvation ;  and  that  by  no  merit  of  his  own, 
but  by  the  mere  mercy  of  God  poured  forth 
upon  him  for  Christ's  sake:  which  he  believes 
to  be  so  rich  and  plentiful,  as  indeed  it  is, 
that  altho  he  be  as  it  were  drowned  in 
sin,  he  is  notwithstanding  made  holy,  and 
become  the  son  of  God. 

122 


LUTHER 

Wherefore,  take  heed  that  thou  nothing 
doubt  that  thou  art  the  son  of  God,  and  there- 
fore made  righteous  by  His  grace ;  let  all  fear 
and  care  be  done  away.  However,  thou  must 
fear  and  tremble  that  thou  mayest  persevere 
in  this  way  unto  the  end;  but  thou  must  not 
do  this  as  tho  it  consisted  in  thy  own  strength, 
for  righteousness  and  salvation  are  of  grace, 
whereunto  only  thou  must  trust.  But  when 
thou  knowest  that  it  is  of  grace  alone,  and 
that  thy  faith  also  is  the  gift  of  God,  thou 
shalt  have  cause  to  fear,  lest  some  temptation 
violently  move  thee  from  this  faith. 

Every  one  by  faith  is  certain  of  this  sal- 
vation; but  we  ought  to  have  care  and  fear 
that  we  stand  and  persevere,  trusting  in  the 
Lord,  and  not  in  our  own  strength.  When 
those  of  the  race  of  Cain  hear  faith  treated 
of  in  this  manner,  they  marvel  at  our  mad- 
ness, as  it  seems  to  them.  God  turn  us  from 
this  way,  say  they,  that  we  should  affirm  our- 
selves holy  and  godly;  far  be  this  arrogance 
and  rashness  from  us:  we  are  miserable  sin- 
ners; we  should  be  mad,  if  we  should  arro- 
gate holiness  to  ourselves.  Thus  they  mock 
at  true  faith,  and  count  such  doctrine  as  this 
execrable  error;  and  thus  try  to  extinguish 
the  Gospel.  These  are  they  that  deny  the 
faith  of  Christ,  and  persecute  it  throughout 
the  whole  world;  of  whom  Paul  speaks:  "In 
the  latter  times  many  shall  depart  from  the 
faith,"  etc.,  for  we  see  by  these  means  that 

123 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

true  faith  lies  everywhere  opprest;  it  is 
not  preached,  but,  commonly  disallowed  and 
condemned. 

The  pope,  bishops,  colleges,  monasteries, 
and  universities  have  more  than  five  hundred 
years  persecuted  it  with  one  mind  and  con- 
sent most  obstinately,  which  has  been  the 
means  of  driving  many  to  hell.  If  any  ob- 
ject against  the  admiration,  or  rather  the 
mad  senselessness  of  these  men,  if  we  count 
ourselves  even  holy,  trusting  the  goodness  of 
God  to  justify  us,  or  as  David  prayed,  "Pre- 
serve Thou  me,  O  Lord,  for  I  am  holy,"  or 
as  Paul  saith,  "The  Spirit  of  God  beareth 
witness  with  our  spirit  that  we  are  the  chil- 
dren of  God";  they  answer  that  the  prophet 
and  apostle  would  not  teach  us  in  these  words, 
or  give  us  an  example  which  we  should  fol- 
low, but  that  they,  being  particularly  and 
specially  enlightened,  received  such  revelation 
of  themselves.  In  this  way  they  misrepresent 
the  Scripture,  which  affirms  that  they  arc 
holy,  saying  that  such  doctrine  is  not  writ- 
ten for  us,  but  that  it  is  rather  peculiar  mir- 
acles, which  do  not  belong  to  all.  This  forged 
imagination  we  account  of  as  having  come 
from  their  sickly  brain.  Again,  they  believe 
that  they  shall  be  made  righteous  and  holy 
by  their  own  works,  and  that  because  of  them 
God  will  give  them  salvation  and  eternal 
blessedness. 

In  the  opinion  of  these  men  it  is  a  Chris- 

124 


LUTHER 

tian  duty  to  think  that  we  shall  be  righteous 
and  sacred  because  of  our  works;  but  to  be- 
lieve that  these  things  are  given  by  the  grace 
of  God,  they  condemn  as  heretical;  attribu- 
ting that  to  their  own  works  which  they  do 
not  attribute  to  the  grace  of  God.  They  that 
are  endued  with  true  faith,  and  rest  upon 
the  grace  of  the  Lord,  rejoice  with  holy  joy, 
and  apply  themselves  with  pleasure  to  good 
works,  not  such  as  those  of  Cain's  progeny 
do,  as  feigned  prayers,  fasting,  base  and  filthy 
apparel,  and  such  like  trifles,  but  to  true  and 
good  works  whereby  their  neighbors  are 
profited. 

Perhaps  some  godly  man  may  think,  if  the 
matter  be  so,  and  our  work  do  not  save  us, 
to  what  end  are  so  many  precepts  given  us, 
and  why  doth  God  require  that  they  be 
obeyed?  The  present  text  of  the  apostle  will 
give  a  solution  of  this  question,  and  upon 
this  occasion  we  will  give  an  exposition  there- 
of. The  Galatians  being  taught  of  Paul  the 
faith  of  Christ,  but  afterward  seduced  by 
false  apostles,  thought  that  our  salvation  must 
be  finished  and  made  perfect  by  the  works 
of  the  law ;  and  that  faith  alone  doth  not  suf- 
fice. These  Paul  calls  back  again  from  works 
unto  faith  with  great  diligence ;  plainly  prov- 
ing that  the  works  of  the  law,  which  go  be- 
fore faith,  make  us  only  servants,  and  are  of 
no  importance  toward  godliness  and  salva- 
tion ;  but  that  faith  makes  us  the  sons  of  God, 

125 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

and  from  thence  good  works  without  con- 
straint forthwith  plentifully  flow. 

But  here  we  must  observe  the  words  of  the 
apostle;  he  calls  him  a  servant  that  is  occu- 
pied in  works  without  faith,  of  which  we 
have  already  treated  at  large;  but  he  calls 
him  a  son  which  is  righteous  by  faith  alone. 
The  reason  is  this,  altho  the  servant  apply 
himself  to  good  works,  yet  he  does  it  not  with 
the  same  mind  as  doth  the  son;  that  is,  with 
a  mind  free,  willing,  and  certain  that  the 
inheritance  and  all  the  good  things  of  the 
Father  are  his ;  but  does  it  as  he  that  is  hired 
in  another  man's  house,  who  hopes  not  that 
the  inheritance  shall  come  to  him.  The  works 
indeed  of  the  son  and  the  servant  are  alike  j 
and  almost  the  same  in  outward  appearance; 
but  their  minds  differ  exceedingly:  as  Christ 
saith,  "The  servant  abideth  not  in  the  house 
forever,  but  the  son  abideth  ever." 

Those  of  Cain's  progeny  want  the  faith  of 
sons,  which  they  confess  themselves;  for  they 
think  it  most  absurd,  and  wicked  arrogancy, 
to  affirm  themselves  to  be  the  sons  of  God, 
and  holy;  therefore  as  they  believe,  even  so 
are  they  counted  before  God;  they  neither 
become  holy  nor  the  sons  of  God,  nevertheless 
are  they  exercised  with  the  works  of  the  law ; 
wherefore  they  are  and  remain  servants  for- 
ever. They  receive  no  reward  except  tem- 
poral things;  such  as  quietness  of  life,  abun- 
dance of  goods,  dignity,  honor,  etc.,  which 

126 


LUTHER 

we  see  to  be  common  among  the  followers  of 
popish  religion.  But  this  is  their  reward,  for 
they  are  servants,  and  not  sons;  wherefore 
in  death  they  shall  be  separated  from  all  good 
things,  neither  shall  any  portion  of  the  eter- 
nal inheritance  be  theirs,  who  in  this  life 
would  believe  nothing  thereof.  We  perceive, 
therefore,  that  servants  and  sons  are  not  un- 
like in  works,  but  in  mind  and  faith  they  have 
no  resemblance. 

The  apostle  endeavors  here  to  prove  that 
the  law  with  all  the  works  thereof  makes  us 
but  mere  servants,  if  we  have  not  faith  in 
Christ;  for  this  alone  make  us  sons  of  God. 
It  is  the  word  of  grace  followed  by  the  Holy 
Ghost,  as  is  shown  in  many  places,  where 
we  read  of  the  Holy  Ghost  falling  on 
Cornelius  and  his  family  while  hearing  the 
preaching  of  Peter.  Paul  teaches  that  no 
man  is  justified  before  God  by  the  works 
of  the  law;  for  sin  only  cometh  by  the 
law.  He  that  trusts  in  works  condemns 
faith  as  the  most  pernicious  arrogancy  and 
error  of  all  others.  Here  thou  seest  plainly 
that  such  a  man  is  not  righteous,  being 
destitute  of  that  faith  and  belief  which 
is  necessary  to  make  him  acceptable  before 
God  and  His  Son;  yea,  he  is  an  enemy  to 
this  faith,  and  therefore  to  righteousness  also. 
Thus  it  is  easy  to  understand  that  which  Paul 
saith,  that  no  man  is  justified  before  God  by 
the  works  of  the  law. 

127 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

The  worker  must  be  justified  before  God 
before  he  can  work  any  good  thing.  Men 
judge  the  worker  by  the  works;  God  judges 
the  works  by  the  worker.  The  first  precept 
requires  us  to  acknowledge  and  worship  one 
God,  that  is,  to  trust  Him  alone,  which  is  the 
true  faith  whereby  we  become  the  sons  of  God. 
Thou  canst  not  be  delivered  from  the  evil  of 
unbelief  by  thine  own  power,  nor  by  the 
power  of  the  law;  wherefore  all  thy  works 
which  thou  doest  to  satisfy  the  law  can  be 
nothing  but  works  of  the  law;  of  far  less 
importance  than  to  be  able  to  justify  thee 
before  God,  who  counteth  them  righteous  only 
who  truly  believe  in  Him;  for  they  that 
acknowledge  Him  the  true  God  are  His  sons, 
and  do  truly  fulfil  the  law.  If  thou  shouldst 
even  kill  thyself  by  working,  thy  heart  can 
not  obtain  this  faith  thereby,  for  thy  works 
are  even  a  hindrance  to  it,  and  cause  thee 
to  persecute  it. 

He  that  studieth  to  fulfil  the  law  without 
faith  is  afflicted  for  the  devil's  sake;  and 
continues  a  persecutor  both  of  faith  and  the 
law,  until  he  come  to  himself,  and  cease  to 
trust  in  his  own  works;  he  then  gives  glory 
to  God,  who  justifies  the  ungodly,  and 
acknowledges  himself  to  be  nothing,  and  sighs 
for  the  grace  of  God,  of  which  he  knows  that 
he  has  need.  Faith  and  grace  now  fill  his 
empty  mind,  and  satisfy  his  hunger;  then 
follow  works  which  are  truly  good;  neither 

128 


LUTHER 

are  they  works  of  the  law,  but  of  the  spirit, 
of  faith  and  grace;  they  are  called  in  the 
Scripture  the  works  of  God,  which  He  worketh 
in  us. 

Whatsoever  we  do  of  our  own  power  and 
strength,  that  which  is  not  wrought  in  us 
by  His  grace,  without  doubt  is  a  work  of  the 
law,  and  avails  nothing  toward  justification; 
but  is  displeasing  to  God,  because  of  the  un- 
belief wherein  it  is  done.  He  that  trusts  in 
works  does  nothing  freely  and  with  a  willing 
mind;  he  would  do  no  good  work  at  all  if  he 
were  not  compelled  by  the  fear  of  hell,  or  al- 
lured by  the  hope  of  present  good.  Whereby  it 
is  plainly  seen  that  they  strive  only  for  gain, 
or  are  moved  with  fear,  showing  that  they 
rather  hate  the  law  from  their  hearts,  and  had 
rather  there  were  no  law  at  all.  An  evil 
heart  can  do  nothing  that  is  good.  This  evil 
propensity  of  the  heart,  and  unwillingness 
to  do  good,  the  law  betrays  when  it  teaches 
that  God  does  not  esteem  the  works  of  the 
hand,  but  those  of  the  heart. 

Thus  sin  is  known  by  the  law,  as  Paul 
teaches;  for  we  learn  thereby  that  our  affec- 
tions are  not  placed  on  that  which  is  good. 
This  ought  to  teach  us  not  to  trust  in  our- 
selves, but  to  long  after  the  grace  of  God, 
whereby  the  evil  of  the  heart  may  be  takei. 
away,  and  we  become  ready  to  do  good  works, 
and  love  the  law  voluntarily;  not  for  fear 
of  any  punishment,  but  for  the  love  of  right- 

1—9  129 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

eousness.  By  this  means  one  is  made  of  a 
servant,  a  son ;  of  a  slave  an  heir. 

We  shall  now  come  to  treat  more  particu- 
larly of  the  text.  Verse  1.  "The  heir,  as 
long  as  he  is  a  child,  differeth  nothing  from 
a  servant,  tho  he  be  lord  of  all. ' '  We  see  that 
the  children  unto  whom  their  parents  have 
left  some  substance  are  brought  up  no  other- 
wise than  if  they  were  servants.  They  are 
fed  and  clothed  with  their  goods,  but  they 
are  not  permitted  to  do  with  them,  nor  use 
them  according  to  their  own  minds,  but  are 
ruled  with  fear  and  discipline  of  manners, 
so  that  even  in  their  own  inheritance  they  live 
no  otherwise  than  as  servants.  After  the 
same  sort  it  is  in  spiritual  things.  God  made 
with  His  people  a  covenant,  when  He  prom- 
ised that  in  the  seed  of  Abraham,  that  is  in 
Christ,  all  nations  of  the  earth  should  be 
blest.  That  covenant  was  afterward  con- 
firmed by  the  death  of  Christ,  and  revealed 
and  published  abroad  by  the  preaching  gos- 
pel. For  the  gospel  is  an  open  and  general 
preaching  of  this  grace,  that  in  Christ  is  laid 
up  a  blessing  for  all  men  that  believe. 

Before  this  covenant  is  truly  opened  and 
made  manifest  to  men,  the  sons  of  God  live 
after  the  manner  of  servants  under  the  law; 
and  are  exercised  with  the  works  of  the  law, 
altho  they  can  not  be  justified  by  them ;  they 
are  true  heirs  of  heavenly  things,  of  this 
blessing  and  grace  of  the  covenant ;  altho  they 

130 


LUTHER 

do  not  as  yet  know  or  enjoy  it.  Those  that 
are  justified  by  grace  cease  from  the  works 
of  the  law,  and  come  unto  the  inheritance  of 
justification;  they  then  freely  work  those 
things  that  are  good,  to  the  glory  of  God  and 
benefit  of  their  neighbors.  For  they  have 
possest  it  by  the  covenant  of  the  Father, 
confirmed  by  Christ,  revealed,  published,  and 
as  it  were  delivered  into  their  hands  by  the 
gospel,  through  the  grace  and  mercy  of 
God. 

This  covenant  Abraham,  and  all  the  fa- 
thers which  were  endued  with  true  faith, 
had  no  otherwise  than  we  have:  altho  before 
Christ  was  glorified  this  grace  was  not  openly 
preached  and  published:  they  lived  in  like 
faith,  and  therefore  obtained  the  like  good 
things.  They  had  the  same  grace,  blessing, 
and  covenant  that  we  have;  for  there  is  one 
Father  and  God  over  all.  Thou  seest  that 
Paul  here,  as  in  almost  all  other  places,  treats 
much  of  faith;  that  we  are  not  justified  by 
works,  but  by  faith  alone.  There  is  no  good 
thing  which  is  not  contained  in  this  covenant 
of  God;  it  gives  righteousness,  salvation,  and 
peace.  By  faith  the  whole  inheritance  of 
God  is  at  once  received.  From  thence  good 
works  come;  not  meritorious,  whereby  thou 
mayest  seek  salvation,  but  which  with  a  mind 
already  possessing  righteousness  thou  must 
do  with  great  pleasure  to  the  profit  of  thy 
neighbors. 

131 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

Verse  2.  "But  is  under  tutors  and  govern- 
ors until  the  time  appointed  of  the  Father." 
Tutors  and  governors  are  they  which  bring 
up  the  heir,  and  so  rule  him  and  order  his 
goods  that  he  neither  waste  his  inheritance 
by  riotous  living,  nor  his  goods  perish  or  be 
otherwise  consumed.  They  permit  him  not 
to  use  his  goods  at  his  own  will  or  pleasure, 
but  suffer  him  to  enjoy  them  as  they  shall  be 
needful  and  profitable  to  him.  They  keep 
him  at  home,  and  instruct  him  whereby  he 
may  long  and  comfortably  enjoy  his  inherit- 
ance: but  as  soon  as  he  arrives  to  the  years 
of  discretion  and  judgment,  it  can  not  but  be 
grievous  to  him  to  live  in  subjection  to  the 
commands  and  will  of  another. 

In  the  same  manner  stands  the  case  of  the 
children  of  God,  which  are  brought  up  and 
instructed  under  the  law,  as  under  a  master 
in  the  liberty  of  sons.  The  law  profits  them 
in  this,  that  by  the  fear  of  it  and  the  punish- 
ment which  it  threatens,  they  are  driven  from 
sin,  at  least  from  the  outward  work:  by  it 
they  are  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  them- 
selves, and  that  they  do  no  good  at  all  with 
a  willing  and  ready  mind  as  becomes  sons; 
whereby  they  may  easily  see  what  is  the  root 
of  this  evil,  and  what  is  especially  needful 
unto  salvation ;  to  wit,  a  new  and  living  spirit 
to  that  which  is  good :  which  neither  the  law 
nor  the  works  of  the  law  is  able  to  give ;  yea, 
the  more  they  apply  themselves  to  it,  the  more 

132 


LUTHER 

unwilling  they  find  themselves  to  work  those 
things  which  are  good. 

Here  they  learn  that  they  do  not  satisfy 
the  law,  altho  outwardly  they  live  according 
to  its  precepts.  They  pretend  to  obey  it  in 
works,  altho  in  mind  they  hate  it;  they  pre- 
tend themselves  righteous,  but  they  remain 
sinners.  These  are  like  unto  those  of  Cain's 
progeny,  and  hypocrites;  whose  hands  are 
compelled  to  do  good,  but  their  hearts  con- 
sent unto  sin  and  are  subject  thereto.  To 
know  this  concerning  one's  self  is  not  the 
lowest  degree  toward  salvation.  Paul  calls 
such  constrained  works  the  works  of  the  law; 
for  they  flow  not  from  a  ready  and  willing 
heart ;  howbeit  the  law  does  not  require  works 
alone,  but  the  heart  itself;  wherefore  it  is 
said  in  the  first  psalm  of  the  blest  man, 
"But  his  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord: 
and  in  His  law  doth  he  meditate  day  and 
night."  Such  a  mind  the  law  requires,  but 
it  gives  it  not;  neither  can  it  of  its  own  na- 
ture :  whereby  it  comes  to  pass  that  while  the 
law  continues  to  exact  it  of  a  man,  and  con- 
demns him  as  long  as  he  hath  such  a  mind, 
as  being  disobedient  to  God,  he  is  in  anguish 
on  every  side ;  his  conscience  being  grievously 
terrified. 

Then,  indeed,  is  he  most  ready  to  receive 
the  grace  of  God;  this  being  the  time  ap- 
pointed by  the  Father  when  his  servitude 
shall  end,  and  he  enter  into  the  liberty  of  the 

133 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

sons  of  God.  For  being  thus  in  distress,  and 
terrified,  seeing  that  by  no  other  means  he  can 
avoid  the  condemnation  of  the  law,  he  prays 
to  the  Father  for  grace;  he  acknowledges  his 
frailty,  he  confesses  his  sin,  he  ceases  to  trust 
in  works,  and  humbles  himself,  perceiving 
that  between  him  and  a  manifest  sinner  there 
is  no  difference  at  all  except  of  works,  that 
he  hath  a  wicked  heart,  even  as  every  other 
sinner  hath.  The  condition  of  man's  nature 
is  such  that  it  is  able  to  give  to  the  law  works 
only,  and  not  the  heart;  an  unequal  division, 
truly,  to  dedicate  the  heart,  which,  incompa- 
rably excels  all  other  things,  to  sin,  and  the 
hand  to  the  law:  which  is  offering  chaff  to 
the  law,  and  the  wheat  to  sin;  the  shell  to 
God,  and  the  kernel  to  Satan;  whose  un- 
godliness if  one  reprove,  they  become  enraged, 
and  would  even  take  the  life  of  innocent  Abel, 
and  persecute  all  those  that  follow  the  truth. 
Those  that  trust  in  works  seem  to  defend 
them  to  obtain  righteousness;  they  promise 
to  themselves  a  great  reward  for  this,  by  per- 
secuting heretics  and  blasphemers,  as  they 
say,  who  seduce  with  error,  and  entice  many 
from  good  works.  But  those  that  God  hath 
chosen,  learn  by  the  law  how  unwilling  the 
heart  is  to  conform  to  the  works  of  the  law; 
they  fall  from  their  arrogancy,  and  are  by 
this  knowledge  of  themselves  brought  to  see 
their  own  unworthiness.  Hereby  they  receive 
that  covenant  of  the  eternal  blessing  and  the 

134 


LUTHER 

Holy  Ghost  which  renews  the  heart:  whereby 
they  are  delighted  with  the  law,  and  hate  sin ; 
and  are  willing  and  ready  to  do  those  things 
which  are  good.  This  is  the  time  appointed 
by  the  Father,  when  the  heir  must  no  longer 
remain  a  servant,  but  a  son;  being  led  by 
a  free  spirit,  he  is  no  more  kept  in  subjection 
under  tutors  and  governors  after  the  manner 
of  a  servant;  which  is  even  that  which  Paul 
teaches  in  the  following: 

Verse  3.  "Even  so  we,  when  we  were 
children,  were  in  bondage  under  the  elements 
of  the  word."  By  the  word  elements  thou 
mayest  here  understand  the  first  principles 
or  law  written;  which  is  as  it  were  the  first 
exercises  and  instructions  of  holy  learning; 
as  it  is  said:  "As  concerning  the  time  ye 
ought  to  be  teachers,  ye  have  need  that  one 
teach  you  again  which  be  the  first  principles 
of  the  oracles  of  God."  "Beware  lest  any 
man  spoil  you  through  philosophy  and  vain 
deceit,  after  the  tradition  of  men,  after  the 
rudiments  of  the.  world."  "How  turn  ye 
again  to  the  weak  and  beggarly  elements, 
whereunto  ye  desire  again  to  be  in  bondage." 

Here  Paul  calls  the  law  rudiments;  be- 
cause it  is  not  able  to  perform  that  righteous- 
ness which  it  requires.  For  whereas  it  ear- 
nestly requires  a  heart  and  mind  given  to 
godliness,  nature  is  not  able  to  satisfy  it: 
herein  it  makes  a  man  feel  his  poverty,  and 
acknowledge  his  infirmity:  it  requires  that 

135 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

of  him  by  right  which  he  has  not,  neither  is 
able  to  have.  "The  letter  killeth,  but  the 
Spirit  giveth  life."  Paul  calls  them  the 
rudiments  of  the  world,  which,  not  being  re- 
newed by  the  Spirit,  only  perform  worldly 
things;  to  wit,  in  places,  times,  apparel,  per- 
sons, vessels,  and  such  like.  But  faith  rests 
not  in  worldly  things,  but  in  the  grace,  word, 
and  mercy  of  God:  counting  alike,  days, 
meats,  persons,  apparel,  and  all  things  of  this 
world. 

None  of  these  by  themselves  either  help  or 
hinder  godliness  or  salvation.  With  those  of 
Cain's  progeny,  faith  neither  agrees  in  name 
or  anything  else;  one  of  them  eats  flesh, 
another  abstains  from  it;  one  wears  black 
apparel,  another  white;  one  keeps  this  day 
holy,  and  another  that;  every  one  has  his 
rudiments,  under  which  he  is  in  bondage :  all 
of  them  are  addicted  to  the  things  of  the 
world,  which  are  frail  and  perishable. 
Against  these  Paul  speaks,  "Wherefore,  if 
ye  be  dead  with  Christ  from  the  rudiments 
of  the  world,  why,  as  tho  living  in  the  world, 
are  ye  subject  to  ordinances:  touch  not,  taste 
not,  handle  not,  which  all  are  to  perish  with 
the  using,  after  the  commandments  and  doc- 
trines of  men?  Which  things  have  indeed  a 
show  of  wisdom  in  will-worship  and  humility, 
and  neglecting  of  the  body ;  not  in  any  honor 
to  the  satisfying  of  the  flesh. ' ' 

By  this  and  other  places  above  mentioned, 

136 


LUTHER 

it  is  evident  that  monasteries  and  colleges, 
whereby  we  measure  the  state  of  spiritual 
men  as  we  call  them,  plainly  disagree  with 
the  Gospel  and  Christian  liberty:  and  there- 
fore it  is  much  more  dangerous  to  live  in  this 
kind  of  life  than  among  the  most  pro- 
fane men.  All  their  works  are  nothing  but 
rudiments  and  ordinances  of  the  world; 
neither  are  they  Christians  but  in  name, 
wherefore  all  their  life  and  holiness  are  sin- 
ful and  most  detestable  hypocrisy.  The  fair 
show  of  feigned  holiness  which  is  in  those 
ordinances  does,  in  a  marvelous  and  secret 
manner,  withdraw  from  faith  more  than 
those  manifest  and  gross  sins  of  which  open 
sinners  are  guilty.  Now  this  false  and  servile 
opinion  faith  alone  takes  away,  and  teaches 
us  to  trust  in,  and  rest  upon,  the  grace  of 
God,  whereby  is  given  freely  that  which  is 
needful  to  work  all  things. 

Verse  4.  "But  when  the  fulness  of  the 
time  was  come,  God  sent  forth  His  Son,  made 
of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  to  redeem 
them  that  were  under  the  law,  that  we  might 
receive  the  adoption  of  sons."  After  Paul 
had  taught  us  that  righteousness  and  faith 
can  not  come  to  us  by  the  law,  neither  can 
we  deserve  it  by  nature,  he  shows  us  by  whom 
we  obtain  it;  and  who  is  the  author  of  our 
justification.  The  apostle  saith,  "When  the 
fulness  of  the  time  was  come";  here  Paul 
speaks  of  the  time  which  was  appointed  by 

137 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

the  Father  to  the  Son,  wherein  He  should 
live  under  tutors,  etc.  This  time  being  come 
to  the  Jews,  and  ended,  Christ  came  in  the 
flesh;  so  it  is  daily  fulfilled  to  others,  when 
they  come  to  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and 
change  the  servitude  of  the  law  for  the  faith 
of  sons.  Christ  for  this  cause  came  unto  us, 
that  believing  in  Him  we  may  be  restored  to 
true  liberty;  by  which  faith  they  of  ancient 
times  also  obtained  the  liberty  of  the  Spirit. 

As  soon  as  thou  believest  in  Christ,  He 
comes  to  thee,  a  deliverer  and  Savior;  and 
now  the  time  of  bondage  is  ended;  as  the 
apostle  saith,  the  fulness  thereof  is  come. 

Verse  6.  "And  because  ye  are  sons,  God 
hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  His  Son  into 
your  hearts,  crying,  Abba,  Father."  Here 
we  see  plainly  that  the  Holy  Ghost  cometh 
to  the  saints,  not  by  works,  but  by  faith  alone. 
Sons  believe,  while  servants  only  work;  sons 
are  free  from  the  law,  servants  are  held  under 
the  law,  as  appears  by  those  things  that  have 
been  before  spoken.  But  how  comes  it  to 
pass  that  he  saith  "because  ye  are  sons,  God 
hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit,"  etc.,  seeing  it 
is  before  said  that  by  the  coming  of  the  Spirit 
we  are  changed  from  servants  to  sons:  but 
here,  as  tho  we  could  be  sons  before  the  com- 
ing of  the  Spirit,  he  saith  "because  ye  are 
sons,"  etc.  To  this  question  we  must  answer, 
that  Paul  speaks  here  in  the  same  manner  that 
he  did  before,  that  is,  before  the  fulness  of 

138 


LUTHER 

the  time  came,  we  were  in  bondage  under 
the  rudiments  of  the  world :  all  that  shall  be- 
come sons  are  counted  in  the  place  of  sons 
with  God:  therefore  he  saith  rightly,  "be- 
cause ye  are  sons,"  that  is,  because  the  state 
of  sons  is  appointed  to  you  from  everlasting, 
"God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  His  Son," 
to  wit,  that  He  might  finish  it  in  you,  and 
make  you  such  as  He  hath  long  since  of  His 
goodness  determined  that  He  would  make  you. 

Now  if  the  Father  give  unto  us  His  Spirit, 
He  will  make  us  His  true  sons  and  heirs,  that 
we  may  with  confidence  cry  with  Christ, 
Abba,  Father;  being  His  brethren  and  fellow 
heirs.  The  apostle  has  well  set  forth  the  good- 
ness of  God  which  makes  us  partakers  with 
Christ,  and  causes  us  to  have  all  things  com- 
mon with  Him,  so  that  we  live  and  are  led 
by  the  same  Spirit.  These  words  of  the 
apostle  show  that  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds 
from  Christ,  as  he  calls  Him  his  Spirit.  So 
God  hath  sent  forth  the  Spirit  of  His  Son, 
that  is,  of  Christ,  for  He  is  the  Spirit  of  God, 
and  comes  from  God  to  us,  and  not  ours,  un- 
less one  will  say  after  this  manner,  "my  Holy 
Spirit,"  as  we  say,  "my  God,"  "my  Lord," 
etc.  As  He  is  said  to  be  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
Christ,  it  proves  Him  to  be  God  of  whom  that 
Spirit  is  sent,  therefore  it  is  counted  His 
Spirit. 

Christians  may  perceive  by  this  whether 
they  have  in  themselves  the  Holy  Ghost,  to 

139 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

wit,  the  Spirit  of  sons;  whether  they  hear 
His  voice  in  their  hearts:  for  Paul  saith,  He 
crieth  in  the  hearts  which  He  possesseth, 
Abba,  Father;  he  saith  also,  "We  have  re- 
ceived the  Spirit  of  adoption,  whereby  we  cry 
Abba,  Father. ' '  Thou  hearest  this  voice  when 
thou  findest  so  much  faith  in  thyself  that 
thou  dost  assuredly,  without  doubting,  pre- 
sume that  not  only  thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee, 
but  also  that  thou  art  the  beloved  Son  of  God, 
who,  being  certain  of  eternal  salvation,  durst 
both  call  Him  Father,  and  be  delighted  in 
Him  with  a  joyful  and  confident  heart.  To 
doubt  these  things  brings  a  reproach  upon  the 
death  of  Christ,  as  tho  He  had  not  obtained 
all  things  for  us. 

It  may  be  that  thou  shalt  be  so  tempted  as 
to  fear  and  doubt,  and  think  plainly  that  God 
is  not  a  favorable  Father,  but  a  wrathful 
revenger  of  sins,  as  it  happened  with  Job, 
and  many  other  saints:  but  in  such  a  con- 
flict this  trust  and  confidence  that  thou  art 
a  son  ought  to  prevail  and  overcome.  It  is 
said  "The  Spirit  itself  maketh  intercession 
for  us  with  groanings  which  can  not  be  ut- 
tered; and  that  He  beareth  witness  with  our 
spirit  that  we  are  the  children  of  God. "  How 
can  it  therefore  be  that  our  hearts  should  not 
hear  this  cry  and  testimony  of  the  Spirit? 
But  if  thou  dost  not  feel  this  cry,  take  heed 
that  thou  be  not  slothful  and  secure;  pray 
constantly,  for  thou  art  in  an  evil  state. 

140 


LUTHER 

Cain  saith,  "My  punishment  is  greater 
than  I  can  bear.  Behold,  Thou  hast  driven 
me  out  this  day  from  the  face  of  the  earth, 
and  from  Thy  face  shall  I  be  hid ;  and  it  shall 
come  to  pass  that  every  one  that  findeth  me 
shall  slay  me."  This  is  a  dreadful  and  ter- 
rible cry,  which  is  heard  from  all  Cain 's  prog- 
eny, all  such  as  trust  to  themselves  and 
their  own  works,  who  put  not  their  trust  in 
the  Son  of  God,  neither  consider  that  He  was 
sent  from  the  Father,  made  of  a  woman  under 
the  law,  much  less  that  all  these  things  were 
done  for  their  salvation.  And  while  their  un- 
godliness is  not  herewith  content,  they  begin 
to  persecute  even  the  sons  of  God,  and  grow  so 
cruel  that,  after  the  example  of  their  father 
Cain,  they  can  not  rest  until  they  slay  their 
righteous  brother  Abel,  wherefore  the  blood  of 
Christ  continually  cries  out  against  them  noth- 
ing but  punishment  and  vengeance ;  but  for  the 
heirs  of  salvation  it  cries  by  the  Spirit  of  Christ 
for  nothing  but  grace  and  reconciliation. 

The  apostle  here  uses  a  Syrian  and  Greek 
word,  saying,  Abba,  Pater.  This  word  Abba, 
in  the  Syrian  tongue,  signifies  a  father,  by 
which  name  the  heads  of  monasteries  are  still 
called;  and  by  the  same  name,  hermits  in 
times  past,  being  holy  men,  called  their  presi- 
dents :  at  last,  by  use,  it  was  also  made  a  Latin 
word.  Therefore  that  which  Paul  saith  is  as 
much  as  Father,  Father;  or  if  thou  hadst 
rather,  ''my  Father." 

141 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

Verse  7.  "Wherefore  thou  art  no  more  a 
servant,  but  a  son,  and  if  a  son,  then  an  heir 
of  God  through  Christ."  He  saith,  that  after 
the  coming  of  the  Spirit,  after  the  knowledge 
of  Christ,  "thou  art  not  a  servant."  A  son 
is  free  and  willing,  a  servant  is  compelled  and 
unwilling;  a  son  liveth  and  resteth  in  faith, 
a  servant  in  works.  Therefore  it  appears  that 
we  can  not  obtain  salvation  of  God  by  works, 
but  before  thou  workest  that  which  is  accept- 
able to  Him,  it  is  necessary  that  thou  receive 
salvation;  then  good  works  will  freely  flow, 
to  the  honor  of  thy  heavenly  Father,  and  to 
the  profit  of  thy  neighbors ;  without  any  fear 
of  punishment,  or  looking  for  reward. 

If  this  inheritance  of  the  Father  be  thine 
by  faith,  surely  thou  art  rich  in  all  things, 
before  thou  hast  wrought  any  thing.  It  is 
said  "Your  salvation  is  prepared  and  re- 
served in  heaven,  to  be  showed  in  the  last 
time,"  wherefore  the  works  of  a  Christian 
ought  to  have  no  regard  to  merit,  which  is 
the  manner  of  servants,  but  only  for  the  use 
and  benefit  of  our  neighbors,  whereby  we 
may  truly  live  to  the  glory  of  God.  Lest  that 
any  think  that  so  great  an  inheritance  cometh 
to  us  without  cost  (altho  it  be  given  to 
us  without  our  cost  or  merit),  yet  it  cost 
Christ  a  dear  price,  who,  that  He  might  pur- 
chase it  for  us,  was  made  under  the  law,  and 
satisfied  it  for  us,  both  by  life  and  also  by 
death. 

142 


LUTHER 

Those  benefits  which  from  love  we  bestow 
upon  our  neighbor,  come  to  him  freely,  with- 
out any  charges  or  labor  of  his,  notwithstand- 
ing they  cost  us  something,  even  as  Christ 
hath  bestowed  those  things  which  are  His 
upon  us.  Thus  hath  Paul  called  back  the 
Galatians  from  the  teachers  of  works,  which 
preached  nothing  but  the  law,  perverting  the 
Gospel  of  Christ.  Which  things  are  very 
necessary  to  be  marked  of  us  also:  for  the 
Pope,  with  his  prelates  and  monks  hath  for 
a  long  time  intruded,  urging  his  laws,  which 
are  foolish  and  pernicious,  disagreeing  in 
every  respect  with  the  Word  of  God,  sedu- 
cing almost  the  whole  world  from  the  gospel 
of  Christ,  and  plainly  extinguishing  the  faith 
of  sons,  as  the  Scripture  hath  in  diverse  places 
manifestly  prophesied  of  His  kingdom. 
Wherefore  let  every  one  that  desires  salvation, 
diligently  take  heed  of  him  and  his  followers, 
no  otherwise  than  Satan  himself. 


143 


LATIMER 
ON   CHRISTIAN   LOVE 


I— 10 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTE 

HUGH  LATIMER,  reformer  and  martyr, 
was  born  in  Leicestershire,  England,  in 
1485,  or  two  years  later  than  Luther.  On 
completing  an  education  at  Cambridge, 
he  took  holy  orders  and  preached  stren- 
uously in  favor  of  the  Lutheran  views. 
As  a  profound  canonist,  he  was  placed 
on  the  commission  appointed  to  decide  on 
the  legality  of  Henry  VIIFs  marriage 
with  Katharine  of  Aragon.  His  decision 
in  favor  of  Henry  gained  him  a  royal 
chaplaincy  and  a  living. 

Appointed  Bishop  of  "Worcester  in 
1535,  he  preached  boldly  the  reformed 
doctrines,  but  lost  favor  at  court,  and 
when  Gardiner  and  Bonner  pushed  a  re- 
actionary movement  to  the  front,  he 
retired  from  his  see  (1539).  Latimer  lived 
in  peaceful  retirement  under  Edward  VI, 
but  under  Mary  he,  with  other  reformers, 
was  arrested  and  thrown  into  the  Tower. 
Brought  to  Oxford  for  examination,  he 
refused  to  recant,  and  was  confined  for 
a  year  in  the  common  prison,  and  on  Oc- 
tober 16,  1555,  put  to  death  by  fire,  along 
with  Ridley,  at  a  place  opposite  Balliol 
College,  where  the  Martyr's  Memorial  was 
subsequently  erected. 


LATIMER 

1485—1555 
ON   CHRISTIAN   LOVE 

This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one  another, 
as  I  have  loved  you. — John  xv.,  12. 

SEEING  the  time  is  so  far  spent,  we  will 
take  no  more  in  hand  at  this  time  than 
this  one  sentence;  for  it  will  be  enough 
for  us  to  consider  this  well,  and  to  bear  it 
away  with  us.  "This  I  command  unto  you, 
that  ye  love  one  another."  Our  Savior  him- 
self spake  these  words  at  His  last  supper:  it 
was  the  last  sermon  that  He  made  unto  His 
disciples  before  His  departure;  it  is  a  very 
long  sermon.  For  our  Savior,  like  as  one  that 
knows  he  shall  die  shortly,  is  desirous  to  spend 
that  little  time  that  He  has  with  His  friends, 
in  exhorting  and  instructing  them  how  they 
should  lead  their  lives.  Now  among  other 
things  that  He  commanded  this  was  one: 
"This  I  command  unto  you,  that  ye  love  one 
another."  The  English  expresses  as  tho  it 
were  but  one,  "This  is  my  commandment." 
I  examined  the  Greek,  where  it  is  in  the  plural 
number,  and  very  well;  for  there  are  many 
things  that  pertain  to  a  Christian  man,  and 
yet  all  those  things  are  contained  in  this  one 

147 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

thing,  that  is,  love.  He  lappeth  up  all  things 
in  love. 

Our  whole  duty  is  contained  in  these  words, 
"Love  together."  Therefore  St.  Paul  saith, 
"He  that  loveth  another  fulfilleth  the  whole 
law";  so  it  appeareth  that  all  things  are  con- 
tained in  this  word  love.  This  love  is  a  pre- 
cious thing;  our  Savior  saith,  "By  this  shall 
all  men  know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye 
shall  love  one  another." 

So  Christ  makes  love  His  cognizance,  His 
badge,  His  livery.  Like  as  every  lord  com- 
monly gives  a  certain  livery  to  his  servants, 
whereby  they  may  be  known  that  they  pertain 
unto  him ;  and  so  we  say,  yonder  is  this  lord 's 
servants,  because  they  wear  his  livery :  so  our 
Savior,  who  is  the  Lord  above  all  lords,  would 
have  His  servants  known  by  their  liveries  and 
badge,  which  badge  is  love  alone.  Whosoever 
now  is  endued  with  love  and  charity  is  His 
servant;  him  we  may  call  Christ's  servant; 
for  love  is  the  token  whereby  you  may  know 
that  such  a  servant  pertaineth  to  Christ;  so 
that  charity  may  be  called  the  very  livery  of 
Christ.  He  that  hath  charity  is  Christ's  serv- 
ant; he  that  hath  not  charity  is  the  servant 
of  the  devil.  For  as  Christ's  livery  is  love 
and  charity,  so  the  devil's  livery  is  hatred, 
malice  and  discord. 

But  I  think  the  devil  has  a  great  many 
more  servants  than  Christ  has;  for  there  are 
a  great  many  more  in  his  livery  than  in 

148 


LATIMER 


Christ's  livery;  there  are  but  very  few  who 
are  endued  with  Christ's  livery;  with  love 
and  charity,  gentleness  and  meekness  of 
spirit ;  but  there  are  a  great  number  that  bear 
hatred  and  malice  in  their  hearts,  that  are 
proud,  stout,  and  lofty ;  therefore  the  number 
of  the  devil's  servants  is  greater  than  the 
number  of  Christ's  servants. 

Now  St.  Paul  shows  how  needful  this  love 
is.  I  speak  not  of  carnal  love,  which  is  only 
animal  affection;  but  of  this  charitable  love, 
which  is  so  necessary  that  when  a  man  hath 
it,  without  all  other  things  it  will  suffice  him. 
Again,  if  a  man  have  all  other  things  and 
lacketh  that  love  it  will  not  help  him,  it  is 
all  vain  and  lost.  St.  Paul  used  it  so:  "Tho 
I  speak  with  tongues  of  men  and  angels,  and 
yet  had  no  love,  I  were  even  as  sounding 
brass,  or  as  a  tinkling  cymbal.  And  tho  I 
could  prophesy  aud  understand  all  secrets  and 
all  knowledge;  yet  if  I  had  faith,  so  that  I 
could  move  mountains  out  of  their  places, 
and  yet  had  no  love,  I  were  nothing.  And 
tho  I  bestowed  all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor, 
and  tho  I  gave  my  body  even  that  I  were 
burned,  and  yet  had  no  love,  it  profiteth  me 
nothing"  (I  Cor.  xiii).  These  are  godly 
gifts,  yet  St.  Paul  calls  them  nothing  when 
a  man  hath  them  without  charity;  which  is  a 
great  commendation,  and  shows  the  great 
need  of  love,  insomuch  that  all  other  virtues 
are  in  vain  when  this  love  is  absent  And 

149 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

there  have  been  some  who  taught  that  St.  Paul 
spake  against  the  dignity  of  faith;  but  you 
must  understand  that  St.  Paul  speaks  here 
not  of  the  justifying  faith,  wherewith  we  re- 
ceive everlasting  life,  but  he  understands  by 
this  word  faith  the  gift  to  do  miracles,  to 
remove  hills;  of  such  a  faith  he  speaks.  This 
I  say  to  confirm  this  proposition.  Faith  only 
justifieth;  this  proposition  is  most  true  and 
certain.  And  St.  Paul  speaks  not  here  of 
this  lively  justifying  faith ;  for  this  right  faith 
is  not  without  love,  for  love  cometh  and  flow- 
eth  out  of  faith ;  love  is  a  child  of  faith ;  for  no 
man  can  love  except  he  believe,  so  that  they 
have  two  several  offices,  they  themselves  being 
inseparable. 

St.  Paul  has  an  expression  in  the  13th 
chapter  of  the  first  of  the  Corinthians,  which, 
according  to  the  outward  letter,  seems  much 
to  the  dispraise  of  this  faith,  and  to  the  praise 
of  love;  these  are  his  words,  "Now  abideth 
faith,  hope  and  love,  even  these  three;  but 
the  chief est  of  these  is  love. ' '  There  are  some 
learned  men  who  expound  the  greatness  of 
which  St.  Paul  speaketh  here  as  if  meant  for 
eternity.  For  when  we  come  to  God,  then 
we  believe  no  more,  but  rather  see  with  our 
eyes  face  to  face  how  He  is;  yet  for  all  that 
love  remains  still ;  so  that  love  may  be  called 
the  chiefest,  because  she  endureth  forever. 
And  tho  she  is  the  chiefest,  yet  we  must  not 
attribute  unto  her  the  office  which  pertains 

150 


LATIMER 

unto  faith  only.  Like  as  I  can  not  say,  the 
Mayor  of  Stamford  must  make  me  a  pair  of 
shoes  because  he  is  a  greater  man  than  the 
shoemaker  is;  for  the  mayor,  tho  he  is  a 
greater  man,  yet  it  is  not  his  office  to  make 
shoes ;  so  tho  love  be  greater,  yet  it  is  not  her 
office  to  save.  Thus  much  I  thought  good  to 
say  against  those  who  fight  against  the  truth. 

Now,  when  we  would  know  who  are  in 
Christ's  livery  or  not,  we  must  learn  it  of  St. 
Paul,  who  most  evidently  described  charity, 
which  is  the  only  livery,  saying,  "Love  is 
patient,  she  suffereth  long."  Now  whosoever 
f umeth  and  is  angry,  he  is  out  of  this  livery : 
therefore  let  us  remember  that  we  do  not  cast 
away  the  livery  of  Christ  our  Master.  When 
we  are  in  sickness,  or  any  manner  of  adversi- 
ties, our  duty  is  to  be  patient,  to  suffer  will- 
ingly, and  to  call  upon  Him  for  aid,  help  and 
comfort;  for  without  Him  we  are  not  able 
to  abide  any  tribulation.  Therefore  we  must 
call  upon  God,  He  has  promised  to  help: 
therefore  let  me  not  think  Him  to  be  false  or 
untrue  to  His  promises,  for  we  can  not  dis- 
honor God  more  than  by  not  believing  or 
trusting  in  Him.  Therefore  let  us  beware 
above  all  things  of  dishonoring  God;  and  so 
we  must  be  patient,  trusting  and  most  cer- 
tainly believing  that  He  will  deliver  us  when 
it  seems  good  to  Him,  who  knows  the  time 
better  than  we  ourselves. 

" Charity  is  gentle,  friendly,  and  loving; 

151 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

she  envieth  not. ' '  They  that  envy  their  neigh- 
bor 's  profit  when  it  goes  well  with  him,  such 
fellows  are  out  of  their  liveries,  and  so  out  of 
the  service  of  God;  for  to  be  envious  is  to  be 
the  servant  of  the  devil. 

"Love  doth  not  frowardly,  she  is  not  a 
provoker";  as  there  are  some  men  who  will 
provoke  their  neighbor  so  far  that  it  is  very 
hard  for  them  to  be  in  charity  with  them ;  but 
we  must  wrestle  with  our  affections ;  we  must 
strive  and  see  that  we  keep  this  livery  of 
Christ  our  master ;  for  ' '  the  devil  goeth  about 
as  a  roaring  lion  seeking  to  take  us  at  a  van- 
tage," to  bring  us  out  of  our  liveries,  and  to 
take  from  us  the  knot  of  love  and  charity. 

"Love  swelleth  not,  is  not  puffed  up"; 
but  there  are  many  swellers  nowadays,  they 
are  so  high,  so  lofty,  insomuch  that  they  de- 
spise and  contemn  all  others;  all  such  persons 
are  under  the  governance  of  the  devil.  God 
rules  not  them  with  His  good  spirit;  the  evil 
spirit  has  occupied  their  hearts  and  possest 
them. 

"She  doth  not  dishonestly;  she  seeketh  not 
her  own ;  she  doth  all  things  to  the  commodity 
of  her  neighbors."  A  charitable  man  will 
not  promote  himself  with  the  damage  of 
his  neighbor.  They  that  seek  only  their 
own  advantage,  forgetting  their  neighbors, 
they  are  not  of  God,  they  have  not  His  livery. 
Further,  "Charity  is  not  provoked  to  anger; 
she  thinketh  not  evil. "  We  ought  not  to  think 

153 


LATIMER 


evil  of  our  neighbor,  as  long  as  we  see  not 
open  wickedness ;  for  it  is  written,  ' '  You  shall 
not  judge";  we  should  not  take  upon  us  to 
condemn  our  neighbor.  And  surely  the  con- 
demners  of  other  men's  works  are  not  in  the 
livery  of  Christ.  Christ  hateth  them. 

"She  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity";  she  loveth 
equity  and  godliness.  And  again,  she  is  sorry 
to  hear  of  falsehood,  of  stealing,  or  such  like, 
which  wickedness  is  now  at  this  time  com- 
monly used.  There  never  was  such  falsehood 
among  Christian  men  as  there  is  now,  at  this 
time;  truly  I  think,  and  they  that  have  ex- 
perience report  it  so,  that  among  the  very 
infidels  and  Turks  there  is  more  fidelity  and 
uprightness  than  among  Christian  men.  For 
no  man  setteth  anything  by  his  promise,  yea, 
and  writings  will  not  serve  with  some,  they 
are  so  shameless  that  they  dare  deny  their  own 
handwriting;  but,  I  pray  you,  are  those  false 
fellows  in  the  livery  of  Christ?  Have  they 
His  cognizance?  No,  no;  they  have  the  badge 
of  the  devil,  with  whom  they  shall  be  damned 
world  without  end,  except  they  amend  and 
leave  their  wickedness. 

"She  suffereth  all  things;  she  believeth  all 
things."  It  is  a  great  matter  that  should 
make  us  to  be  grieved  with  our  neighbor;  we 
should  be  patient  when  our  neighbor  doth 
wrong,  we  should  admonish  him  of  his  folly, 
earnestly  desiring  him  to  leave  his  wickedness, 
showing  the  danger  that  follows,  everlasting 

153 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

damnation.  In  such  wise  we  should  study  to 
amend  our  neighbor,  and  not  to  hate  him  or 
do  him  a  foul  turn  again,  but  rather  chari- 
tably study  to  amend  him:  whosoever  now 
does  so,  he  has  the  livery  and  cognizance  of 
Christ,  he  shall  be  known  at  the  last  day  for 
his  servant. 

"Love  believeth  all  things";  it  appears 
daily  that  they  who  are  charitable  and 
friendly  are  most  deceived ;  because  they  think 
well  of  every  man,  they  believe  every  man, 
they  trust  their  words,  and  therefore  are 
most  deceived  in  this  world,  among  the 
children  of  the  devil.  These  and  such 
like  things  are  the  tokens  of  the  right 
and  godly  love;  therefore  they  that  have 
this  love  are  soon  known,  for  this  love  can 
not  be  hid  in  corners,  she  has  her  opera- 
tion: therefore  all  that  have  her  are  well 
enough,  tho  they  have  no  other  gifts  be- 
sides her.  Again,  they  that  lack  her,  tho 
they  have  many  other  gifts  besides,  yet  is  it 
to  no  other  purpose,  it  does  then  no  good :  for 
when  we  shall  come  at  the  great  day  before 
him,  not  having  this  livery  (that  is  love)  with 
us,  then  we  are  lost;  he  will  not  take  us  for 
His  servants,  because  we  have  not  His  cog- 
nizance. But  if  we  have  this  livery,  if  we 
wear  His  cognizance  here  in  this  world;  that 
is,  if  we  love  our  neighbor,  help  him  in  his 
distress,  are  charitable,  loving,  and  friendly 
unto  him,  then  we  shaU  be  known  at  the  last 

154 


LATIMER 

day:  but  if  we  be  uncharitable  toward  our 
neighbor,  hate  him,  seek  our  own  advantage 
with  His  damage,  then  we  shall  be  rejected  of 
Christ  and  so  damned  world  without  end. 

Our  Savior  saith  here  in  this  gospel,  "I 
command  you  these  things";  He  speaketh  in 
the  plural  number,  and  lappeth  it  up  in  one 
thing,  which  is  that  we  should  love  one  an- 
other, much  like  St.  Paul's  saying  in  the 
13th  to  the  Romans,  "Owe  nothing  to  any 
man,  but  to  love  one  another.  Here  St. 
Paul  lappeth  up  all  things  together,  signify- 
ing unto  us  that  love  is  the  consummation  of 
the  law;  for  this  commandment,  "Thou  shalt 
not  commit  adultery, ' '  is  contained  in  this  law 
of  love :  for  he  that  loveth  God  will  not  break 
wedlock,  because  wedlock-breaking  is  a  dis- 
honoring of  God  and  a  serving  of  the  devil. 
"Thou  shalt  not  kill";  he  that  loveth  will  not 
kill,  he  will  do  no  harm.  "Thou  shalt  not 
steal " ;  he  that  loveth  his  neighbor  as  himself 
will  not  take  away  his  goods.  I  had  of  late 
occasion  to  speak  of  picking  and  stealing, 
where  I  showed  unto  you  the  danger  wherein 
they  are  that  steal  their  neighbor's  goods  from 
them,  but  I  hear  nothing  yet  of  restitution. 
Sirs,  I  tell  you,  except  restitution  is  made, 
look  for  no  salvation.  And  it  is  a  miserable 
and  heinous  thing  to  consider  that  we  are  so 
blinded  with  this  world  that,  rather  than  we 
would  make  restitution,  we  will  sell  unto  the 
^vil  our  souls  which  are  bought  with  the 

155 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

blood  of  our  Savior  Christ.  What  can  be 
done  more  to  the  dishonoring  of  Christ  than 
to  cast  our  souls  away  to  the  devil  for  the 
value  of  a  little  money? — the  soul  which  He 
has  bought  with  His  painful  passion  and 
death.  But  I  tell  you  those  that  will  do  so, 
and  that  will  not  make  restitution  when  they 
have  done  wrong,  or  taken  away  their  neigh- 
bor's goods,  they  are  not  in  the  livery  of 
Christ,  they  are  not  his  servants ;  let  them  go 
as  they  will  in  this  world,  yet  for  all  that 
they  are  foul  and  filthy  enough  before  God; 
they  stink  before  His  face ;  and  therefore  they 
shall  be  cast  from  His  presence  into  everlast- 
ing fire ;  this  shall  be  all  their  good  cheer  that 
they  shall  have,  because  they  have  not  the 
livery  of  Christ,  nor  His  cognizance,  which 
is  love.  They  remember  not  that  Christ  com- 
manded us,  saying,  "This  I  command  you, 
that  ye  love  one  another."  This  is  Christ's 
commandment.  Moses,  the  great  prophet  of 
God,  gave  many  laws,  but  he  gave  not  the 
spirit  to  fulfil  the  same  laws :  but  Christ  gave 
this  law,  and  promised  unto  us,  that  when  we 
call  upon  Him  He  will  give  us  His  Holy 
Ghost,  who  shall  make  us  able  to  fulfil  His 
laws,  tho  not  so  perfectly  as  the  law  requires ; 
but  yet  to  the  contention  of  God,  and  to 
the  protection  of  our  faith :  for  as  long  as  we 
are  in  this  world,  we  can  do  nothing  as  we 
ought  to  do,  because  our  flesh  leadeth  us, 
which  is  ever  bent  against  the  law  of  God; 

156 


LATIMER 

yet  our  works  which  we  do  are  well  taken  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  God  will  reward  them  in 
heaven. 

Therefore  our  Savior  saith,  "my  yoke  is 
easy,  and  my  burden  is  light,"  because  He 
helpeth  to  bear  them;  else  indeed  we  should 
not  be  able  to  bear  them.  And  in  another 
place  He  saith,  "His  commandments  are  not 
heavy ' ' ;  they  are  heavy  to  our  flesh,  but  being 
qualified  with  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  the  faith- 
ful which  believe  in  Christ,  to  them,  I  say, 
they  are  not  heavy;  for  tho  their  doings  are 
not  perfect,  yet  they  are  well  taken  for 
Christ's  sake. 

You  must  not  be  offended  because  the  Scrip- 
ture commends  love  so  highly,  for  he  that 
commends  the  daughter  commends  the 
mother;  for  love  is  the  daughter,  and  faith  is 
the  mother:  love  floweth  out  of  faith;  where 
faith  is,  there  is  love;  but  yet  we  must  con- 
sider their  offices,  faith  is  the  hand  wherewith 
we  take  hold  on  everlasting  life. 

Now  let  us  enter  into  ourselves,  and  exam- 
ine our  own  hearts,  whether  we  are  in  the 
livery  of  God,  or  not:  and  when  we  find  our- 
selves to  be  out  of  this  livery,  let  us  repent 
and  amend  our  lives,  so  that  we  may  come 
again  to  the  favor  of  God,  and  spend  our 
time  in  this  world  to  His  honor  and  glory, 
forgiving  our  neighbors  all  such  things  as 
they  have  done  against  us. 

And  now  to  make  an  end:  mark  here  who 

157 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

gave  this  precept  of  love — Christ  our  Savior 
Himself.  When  and  at  what  time?  At  His 
departing,  when  He  should  suffer  death. 
Therefore  these  words  ought  the  more  to  be 
regarded,  seeing  He  Himself  spake  them  at 
His  last  departing  from  us.  May  God  of  His 
mercy  give  us  grace  so  to  walk  here  in  this 
world,  charitably  and  friendly  one  with  an- 
other, that  we  may  attain  the  joy  which  God 
hath  prepared  for  all  those  that  love  Him. 
Amen. 


158 


MELANCHTHON 
THE   SAFETY    OF   THE   VIRTUOUS 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTE 

PHILIP  MELANCHTHON  (Schwarzerd)  was 
born  at  Bretten,  in  Baden,  in  1497. 
His  name  is  noteworthy  as  first  a  fellow 
laborer  and  eventually  a  controversial  an- 
tagonist of  Luther.  At  the  Diet  of  Augs- 
burg, in  1530,  he  was  the  leading 
representative  of  the  Reformation.  He 
formulated  the  twenty-eight  articles  of 
the  evangelical  faith  known  as  the 
"Augsburg  Confession."  The  Lutherans 
of  extreme  Calvinistic  views  were  alien- 
ated by  Melanchthon's  subsequent  modi- 
fications of  this  confession,  and  by  his 
treatises  in  ethics.  He  and  his  followers 
were  bitterly  assailed,  but  his  irenic 
spirit  did  not  forsake  him.  He  was  a 
true  child  of  the  Renaissance,  and  is 
styled  by  some  writers  "the  founder  of 
general  learning  throughout  Europe." 
While  he  was  never  called  or  ordained 
to  the  ministry  of  the  Church,  he  was  in 
the  habit  of  addressing  the  local  religious 
assemblies  or  collegia  from  time  to  time, 
and,  being  a  man  of  profound  piety,  his 
sympathetic  and  natural  style  of  deliv- 
ery made  him  an  impressive  speaker. 
He  died  in  1560,  and  his  body  was  laid 
beside  that  of  Martin  Luther. 


MELANCHTHON 

1497—1560 
THE   SAFETY    OF   THE   VIRTUOUS 

Neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of  my  hand. 
—John  x,  28. 

To  THEE,  almighty  and  true  God,  eternal 
Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  maker 
of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  all  creatures, 
together  with  Thy  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost — to  Thee,  the  wise,  good, 
true,  righteous,  compassionate,  pure,  gracious 
God,  we  render  thanks  that  Thou  hast  hitherto 
upheld  the  Church  in  these  lands,  and  gra- 
ciously afforded  it  protection  and  care,  and  we 
earnestly  beseech  Thee  evermore  to  gather 
among  us  an  inheritance  for  Thy  Son,  which 
may  praise  Thee  to  all  eternity. 

I  have  in  these,  our  assemblies,  often  uttered 
partly  admonitions  and  partly  reproofs,  which 
I  hope  the  most  of  you  will  bear  in  mind.  But 
since  I  must  presume  that  now  the  hearts  of 
all  are  wrung  with  a  new  grief  and  a  new 
pang  by  reason  of  the  war  in  our  neighbor- 
hood, this  season  seems  to  call  for  a  word  of 
consolation.  And,  as  we  commonly  say, 
"Where  the  pain  is  there  one  claps  his 
hand,"  I  could  not,  in  this  so  great  affliction. 

I— 11  161 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

make  up  my  mind  to  turn  my  discourse  upon 
any  other  subject.  I  do  not,  indeed,  doubt 
that  you  yourselves  seek  comfort  in  the  divine 
declarations,  yet  will  I  also  bring  before  you 
some  things  collected  therefrom,  because  al- 
ways that  on  which  we  had  ourselves  thought 
becomes  more  precious  to  us  when  we  hear 
that  it  proves  itself  salutary  also  to  others. 
And  because  long  discourses  are  burdensome 
in  time  of  sorrow  and  mourning,  I  will,  with- 
out delay,  bring  forward  that  comfort  which 
is  the  most  effectual. 

Our  pains  are  best  assuaged  when  some- 
thing good  and  beneficial,  especially  some  help 
toward  a  happy  issue,  presents  itself.  All 
other  topics  of  consolation,  such  as  men  bor- 
row from  the  unavoidableness  of  suffering, 
and  the  examples  of  others,  bring  us  no  great 
alleviation.  But  the  Son  of  God,  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  who  was  crucified  for  us  and 
raised  again,  and  now  sits  at  the  right  hand 
of  the  Father,  offers  us  help  and  deliverance, 
and  has  manifested  this  disposition  in  many 
declarations.  I  will  now  speak  of  the  words : 
"No  man  shall  pluck  my  sheep  out  of  my 
hand."  This  expression  has  often  raised  me 
up  out  of  the  deepest  sorrow,  and  drawn  me, 
as  it  were,  out  of  hell. 

The  wisest  men  in  all  times  have  bewailed 
the  great  amount  of  human  misery  which  we 
see  with  our  eyes  before  we  pass  into  eternity 
— diseases,  death,  want,  our  own  errors,  by 

162 


MELANCHTHON 


which  we  bring  harm  and  punishment  on 
ourselves,  hostile  men,  unfaithfulness  on  the 
part  of  those  with  whom  we  are  closely  con- 
nected, banishment,  abuse,  desertion,  misera- 
ble children,  public  and  domestic  strife,  wars, 
murder,  and  devastation.  And  since  such 
things  appear  to  befall  good  and  bad  without 
distinction,  many  wise  men  have  inquired 
whether  there  were  any  Providence,  or 
whether  accident  brings  everything  to  pass 
independent  of  a  divine  purpose?  But  we 
in  the  Church  know  that  the  first  and  prin- 
cipal cause  of  human  wo  is  this,  that  on  ac- 
count of  sin  man  is  made  subject  to  death  and 
other  calamity,  which  is  so  much  more  ve- 
hement in  the  Church,  because  the  devil, 
from  the  hatred  toward  God,  makes  fearful 
assaults  on  the  Church  and  strives  to  destroy 
it  utterly. 

Therefore  it  is  written:  "I  will  put 
enmity  between  the  serpent  and  the  seed 
of  the  woman."  And  Peter  says:  "Your  ad- 
versary, the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh 
about  and  seeketh  whom  he  may  devour." 

Not  in  vain,  however,  has  God  made  known 
to  us  the  causes  of  our  misery.  We  should 
not  only  consider  the  greatness  of  our  neces- 
sity, but  also  discern  the  causes  of  it,  and 
recognize  His  righteous  anger  against  sin,  to 
the  end  that  we  may,  on  the  other  hand,  per- 
ceive the  Redeemer  and  the  greatness  of  His 
compassion ;  and  as  witnesses  to  these,  His 

163 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

declarations,  He  adds  the  raising  of  dead  men 
to  life,  and  other  miracles. 

Let  us  banish  from  our  hearts,  therefore, 
the  unbelieving  opinions  which  imagine  that 
evils  befall  us  by  mere  chance,  or  from  phys- 
ical causes. 

But  when  thou  considerest  the  wounds  in 
thy  own  circle  of  relations,  or  dost  cast  a 
glance  at  the  public  disorders  in  the  State, 
which  again  afflict  the  individual  also  (as 
Solon  says:  "The  general  corruption  pene- 
trates even  to  thy  quiet  habitation"),  then 
think,  first,  of  thy  own  and  others'  sins,  and 
of  the  righteous  wrath  of  God ;  and,  secondly, 
weigh  the  rage  of  the  devil,  who  lets  loose  his 
hate  chiefly  in  the  Church. 

In  all  men,  even  the  better  class,  great  dark- 
ness reigns.  We  see  not  how  great  an  evil  sin 
is,  and  regard  not  ourselves  as  so  shamefully 
defiled.  We  flatter  ourselves,  in  particular, 
because  we  profess  a  better  doctrine  concern- 
ing God.  Nevertheless,  we  resign  ourselves  to 
a  careless  slumber,  or  pamper  each  one  his 
own  desires;  our  impurity,  the  disorders  of 
the  Church,  the  necessity  of  brethren,  fills  us 
not  with  pain;  devotion  is  without  fire  and 
fervor;  zeal  for  doctrine  and  discipline  lan- 
guishes, and  not  a  few  are  my  sins,  and  thine, 
and  those  of  many  others,  by  reason  of  which 
such  punishments  are  heaped  upon  us. 

Let  us,  therefore,  apply  our  hearts  to  re- 
pentance, and  direct  our  eyes  to  the  Son  of 


MELANCHTHON 


God,  in  respect  to  whom  we  have  the  assurance 
that,  after  the  wonderful  counsel  of  God,  He 
is  placed  over  the  family  of  man,  to  be  the 
protector  and  preserver  of  his  Church. 

We  perceive  not  fully  either  of  our  wretch- 
edness or  our  dangers,  or  the  fury  of  enemies, 
until  after  events  of  extraordinary  sorrowful- 
ness. Still  we  ought  to  reflect  thus:  there 
must  exist  great  need  and  a  fearful  might 
and  rage  of  enemies,  since  so  powerful  a 
protector  has  been  given  to  us,  even  God's 
Son.  When  He  says:  "No  man  shall  pluck 
my  sheep  out  of  my  hand, ' '  He  indicates  that 
He  is  no  idle  spectator  of  wo,  but  that 
mighty  and  incessant  strife  is  going  on.  The 
devil  incites  his  tools  to  disturb  the  Church 
or  the  political  commonwealth,  that  boundless 
confusion  may  enter,  followed  by  heathenish 
desolation.  But  the  Son  of  God,  who  holds, 
in  His  hands,  as  it  were,  the  congregation 
of  those  who  call  upon  His  name,  hurls  back 
the  devils  by  His  infinite  power,  conquers  and 
chases  them  thence,  and  will  one  day  shut 
them  up  in  the  prison  of  hell,  and  punish  them 
to  all  eternity  with  fearful  pains.  This  com- 
fort we  must  hold  fast  in  regard  to  the  entire 
Church,  as  well  as  each  in  regard  to  himself. 

If,  in  these  distracted  and  warring  times, 
we  see  States  blaze  up  and  fall  to  ruin,  then 
look  away  to  the  Son  of  God,  who  stands  in 
the  secret  counsel  of  the  Godhead  and  guards 
His  little  flock  and  carries  the  weak  lambs, 

165 


THE   WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

as  it  were,  in  His  own  hands.  Be  persuaded 
that  by  Him  thou  also  shalt  be  protected  and 
upheld. 

Here  some,  not  rightly  instructed,  will  ex- 
claim: "Truly  I  could  wish  to  commend  my- 
self to  such  a  keeper,  but  only  His  sheep  does 
He  preserve.  Whether  I  also  am  counted  in 
that  flock,  I  know  not."  Against  this  doubt 
we  must  most  strenuously  contend,  for  the 
Lord  Himself  assures  us  in  this  very  passage, 
that  all  who  "hear  and  with  faith  receive  the 
voice  of  the  gospel  are  His  sheep";  and  He 
says  expressly:  "If  a  man  love  me,  he  will 
keep  my  words,  and  my  Father  will  love  him, 
and  we  will  come  to  him  and  make  our  abode 
with  him."  These  promises  of  the  Son  of 
God,  which  can  not  be  shaken,  we  must  con- 
fidently appropriate  to  ourselves.  Nor 
shouldst  thou,  by  thy  doubts,  exclude  thyself 
from  this  blest  flock,  which  originates  in  the 
righteousness  of  the  gospel.  They  do  not 
rightly  distinguish  between  the  law  and  the 
gospel,  who,  because  they  are  unworthy, 
reckon  not  themselves  among  the  sheep. 
Rather  is  this  consolation  afforded  us,  that  we 
are  accepted  "for  the  Son  of  God's  sake," 
truly,  without  merit,  not  on  account  of 
our  own  righteousness,  but  through  faith,  be- 
cause we  are  unworthy,  and  impure,  and  far 
from  having  fulfilled  the  law  of  God.  That 
is,  moreover,  a  universal  promise,  in  which  the 
Son  of  God  saith:  "Come  unto  me,  all  ye 

166 


MELANCHTHON 


that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest." 

The  eternal  Father  earnestly  commands 
that  we  should  hear  the  Son,  and  it  is  the 
greatest  of  all  transgressions  if  we  despise  Him 
and  do  not  approve  His  voice.  This  is  what 
every  one  should  often  and  diligently  con- 
sider, and  in  this  disposition  of  the  Father, 
revealed  through  the  Son,  find  grace. 

Altho,  amid  so  great  disturbances,  many 
a  sorrowful  spectacle  meets  thine  eye,  and  the 
Church  is  rent  by  discord  and  hate,  and  mani- 
fold and  domestic  public  necessity  is  added 
thereto,  still  let  not  despair  overcome  thee, 
but  know  thou  that  thou  hast  the  Son  of  God 
for  a  keeper  and  protector,  who  will  not  suffer 
either  the  Church,  or  thee,  or  thy  family,  to 
be  plucked  out  of  His  hand  by  the  fury  of 
the  devil. 

With  all  my  heart,  therefore,  do  I  suppli- 
cate the  Son  of  God,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
who,  having  been  crucified  for  us,  and  raised 
again,  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father,  to 
bless  men  with  His  gifts,  and  to  Him  I  pray 
that  He  would  protect  and  govern  this  little 
church  and  me  therein.  Other  sure  trust,  in 
this  great  flame  when  the  whole  world  is  on 
fire,  I  discern  nowhere.  Each  one  has  his 
separate  hopes,  and  each  one  with  his  under- 
standing seeks  to  repose  in  something  else ;  but 
however  good  that  may  all  be,  it  is  still  a  far 
better,  and  unquestionably  a  more  effectual, 

167 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

consolation  to  flee  to  the  Son  of  God  and  ex- 
pect help  and  deliverances  from  Him. 

Such  wishes  will  not  be  in  vain.  For  to 
this  end  are  we  laden  with  such  a  crowd  of 
dangers,  that  in  events  and  occurrences  which 
to  human  prudence  are  an  inexplicable 
enigma,  we  may  recognize  the  infinite  goodness 
and  presentness  of  God,  in  that  He,  for  His 
Son's  sake,  and  through  His  Son,  affords  us 
aid.  God  will  be  owned  in  such  deliverance 
just  as  in  the  deliverance  of  your  first  par- 
ents, who,  after  the  fall,  when  they  were  for- 
saken by  all  the  creatures,  were  upheld  by 
the  help  of  God  alone.  So  was  the  family  of 
Noah  in  the  flood,  so  were  the  Israelites  pre- 
served when  in  the  Red  Sea  they  stood  be- 
tween the  towering  walls  of  waters.  These 
glorious  examples  are  held  up  before  us,  that 
we  might  know,  in  like  manner,  the  Church, 
without  the  help  of  any  created  beings,  is 
often  preserved.  Many  in  all  times  have 
experienced  such  divine  deliverance  and  sup- 
port in  their  personal  dangers,  as  David  saith : 
' '  My  father  and  my  mother  have  forsaken  me, 
but  the  Lord  taketh  me  up " ;  and  in  another 
place  David  saith:  "He  hath  delivered  the 
wretched,  who  hath  no  helper."  But  in 
order  that  we  may  become  partakers  of  these 
so  great  blessings,  faith  and  devotion  must  be 
kindled  within  us,  as  it  stands  written,  "Ver- 
ily, I  say  unto  you!"  So  likewise  must  our 
faith  be  exercised,  that  before  deliverance  we 

168 


MELANCHTHON 


should  pray  for  help  and  wait  for  it,  resting 
in  God  with  a  certain  cheerfulness  of  soul; 
and  that  we  should  not  cherish  continual 
doubt  and  melancholy  murmuring  in  our 
hearts,  but  constantly  set  before  our  eyes  the 
admonition  of  God :  ' '  The  peace  of  God  which 
passeth  all  understanding  keep  your  heart  and 
mind";  which  is  to  say,  be  so  comforted  in 
God,  in  time  of  danger,  that  your  hearts, 
having  been  strengthened  by  confidence  in  the 
pity  and  presentness  of  God,  may  patiently 
wait  for  help  and  deliverance,  and  quietly 
maintain  that  peaceful  serenity  which  is  the 
beginning  of  eternal  life,  and  without  which 
there  can  be  no  true  devotion. 

For  distrust  and  doubt  produce  a  gloomy 
and  terrible  hate  toward  God,  and  that  is  the 
beginning  of  the  eternal  torments,  and  a  rage 
like  that  of  the  devil. 

Now  you  must  guard  against  these  billows 
in  the  soul,  and  these  stormy  agitations,  and, 
by  meditation  on  the  precious  promises  of 
God,  keep  and  establish  your  hearts. 

Truly  these  times  allow  not  the  wonted  se- 
curity and  the  wonted  intoxication  of  the 
world,  but  they  demand  that  with  honest 
groans  we  should  cry  for  help,  as  the  Lord 
saith,  "Watch  and  pray  that  ye  fall  not  into 
temptation,"  that  ye  may  not,  being  over- 
come by  despair,  plunge  into  everlasting  de- 
struction. There  is  need  of  wisdom  to  discern 
the  dangers  of  the  soul,  as  well  as  the  safe- 

169 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

guard  against  them.  Souls  go  to  ruin  as  well 
when,  in  epicurean  security,  they  make  light 
of  the  wrath  of  God  as  when  they  are  over- 
come by  doubt  and  cast  down  by  anxious  sor- 
row, and  these  transgressions  aggravate  the 
punishment.  The  godly,  on  the  other  hand, 
who  by  faith  and  devotion  keep  their  hearts 
erect  and  near  to  God,  enjoy  the  beginning 
of  eternal  life  and  obtain  mitigation  of  the 
general  distress. 

"We,  therefore,  implore  Thee,  Son  of  God, 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who,  having  been  crucified 
and  raised  for  us,  standest  in  the  secret  coun- 
sel of  the  Godhead,  and  makest  intercession 
for  us,  and  hast  said:  "Come  unto  me,  all 
ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest. ' '  I  call  upon  Thee,  and  with  my 
whole  heart  beseech  Thee,  according  to  Thine 
infinite  compassion,  forgive  us  our  sins.  Thou 
knowest  that  in  our  great  weakness  we  are 
not  able  to  bear  the  burden  of  our  wo.  Do 
Thou,  therefore,  afford  us  aid  in  our  private 
and  public  necessities ;  be  Thou  our  shelter  and 
protector,  uphold  the  churches  in  these  lands, 
and  all  which  serves  for  their  defense  and 
safeguard. 


170 


KNOX 

THE    FIRST    TEMPTATION    OF    CHRIST 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTE 

JOHN  KNOX,  the  great  Scottish  reformer, 
was  born  at  Giffordgate,  four  miles  from 
Haddington,  Scotland,  in  1505.  He  first 
made  his  appearance  as  a  preacher  in 
Edinburgh,  where  he  thundered  against 
popery,  but  was  imprisoned  and  sent  to 
the  galleys  in  1546.  In  1547  Edward  VI 
secured  his  release  and  made  him  a  royal 
chaplain,  when  he  acquired  the  friendship 
of  Cranmer  and  other  reformers.  On 
the  accession  of  Mary  (1553)  he  took 
refuge  on  the  Continent.  In  1556  he  ac- 
cepted the  charge  of  a  church  in  Geneva, 
but,  after  three  years  of  tranquillity,  re- 
turned to  Scotland  and  became  a  popular 
leader  of  the  Reformation  in  that 
country.  His  eloquence  lashed  the  mul- 
titude to  enthusiasm  and  acts  of  turbulent 
violence.  As  a  preacher  his  style  was  di- 
rect and  fearless,  often  fiery,  and  he  had 
a  habit  of  pounding  the  pulpit  to  em- 
phasize particular  truths.  He  died  in 
1572. 


KNOX 

1505—1572 
THE    FIRST    TEMPTATION    OF    CHRIST 

Tfcen  teas  Jesus  led  up  of  the  Spirit  into  the  wilder- 
ness, to  be  tempted  of  the  devil. — Matt,  iv.,  1. 

THE  cause  moving  me  to  treat  of  this  place 
of  Scripture  is,  that  such  as  by  the  in- 
scrutable providence  of  God  fall  into  di- 
vers temptations,  judge  not  themselves  by  rea- 
son thereof  to  be  less  acceptable  in  God's  pres- 
ence. But,  on  the  contrary,  having  the  way 
prepared  to  victory  by  Jesus  Christ,  they  shall 
not  fear  above  measure  the  crafty  assaults  of 
that  subtle  serpent  Satan;  but  with  joy  and 
bold  courage,  having  such  a  guide  as  here  is 
pointed  forth,  such  a  champion,  and  such 
weapons  as  here  are  to  be  found  (if  with 
obedience  we  will  hear,  and  unfeigned  faith 
believe),  we  may  assure  ourselves  of  God's 
present  favor,  and  of  final  victory,  by  the 
means  of  Him,  who,  for  our  safeguard  and 
deliverance,  entered  in  the  battle,  and  tri- 
umphed over  His  adversary,  and  all  his  raging 
fury.  And  that  this  being  heard  and  under- 
stood, may  the  better  be  kept  in  memory ;  this 
order,  by  God's  grace,  we  propose  to  observe, 
in  treating  the  matter:  First,  What  this  word 
temptation  meaneth,  and  how  it  is  used  within 
the  Scriptures.  Secondly,  Who  is  here 

173 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

tempted  and  at  what  time  this  temptation 
happened.  Thirdly,  How  and  by  what  means 
He  was  tempted.  Fourthly,  Why  He  should 
suffer  these  temptations,  and  \vhat  fruits  en- 
sue to  us  from  the  same. 

First,  Temptation,  or  to  tempt,  in  the 
Scriptures  of  God,  is  called  to  try,  to  prove, 
or  to  assault  the  valor,  the  power,  the  will, 
the  pleasure,  or  the  wisdom — whether  it  be 
of  God,  or  of  creatures.  And  it  is  taken 
sometimes  in  good  part,  as  when  it  is  said  that 
God  tempted  Abraham;  God  tempted  the  peo- 
ple of  Israel;  that  is,  God  did  try  and  ex- 
amine them,  not  for  His  own  knowledge,  to 
whom  nothing  is  hid,  but  to  certify  others 
how  obedient  Abraham  was  to  God's  com- 
mandment, and  how  weak  and  inferior 
Israelites  were  in  their  journey  toward  the 
promised  land.  And  this  temptation  is  always 
good,  because  it  proceeds  immediately  from 
God,  to  open  and  make  manifest  the  secret 
motions  of  men's  hearts,  the  puissance  and 
power  of  God's  word,  and  the  great  lenity 
and  gentleness  of  God  towrard  the  iniquities 
(yea,  horrible  sins  and  rebellions)  of  those 
whom  He  hath  received  into  His  regimen 
and  care.  For  who  could  have  believed  that 
the  bare  word  of  God  could  so  have  moved 
the  heart  and  affections  of  Abraham,  that  to 
obey  God's  commandment  he  determined  to 
kill,  with  his  own  hand,  his  best-beloved  son 
Isaac  ?  "Who  could  have  trusted  that,  so  many 

174 


KNOX 

torments  as  Job  suffered,  he  should  not  speak 
in  all  his  great  temptation  one  foolish  word 
against  God  ?  Or  who  could  have  thought  that 
God  so  mercifully  should  have  pardoned  so 
many  and  so  manifest  transgressions  com- 
mitted by  His  people  in  the  desert,  and  yet 
that  His  mercy  never  utterly  left  them,  but 
still  continued  with  them,  till  at  length  he 
performed  His  promise  made  to  Abraham? 
'Who,  I  say,  would  have  been  persuaded  of 
these  things,  unless  by  trials  and  temptations 
taken  of  His  creatures  by  God,  they  had 
come  by  revelation  made  in  His  holy  Scrip- 
tures to  our  knowledge?  And  so  this  kind 
of  temptation  is  profitable,  good,  and  neces- 
sary, as  a  thing  proceeding  from  God,  who  is 
the  fountain  of  all  goodness,  to  the  manifesta- 
tion of  His  own  glory,  and  to  the  profit  of 
the  suffered,  however  the  flesh  may  judge  in 
the  hour  of  temptation.  Otherwise  tempta- 
tion, or  to  tempt,  is  taken  in  evil  part;  that 
is,  he  that  assaults  or  assails  intends  destruc- 
tion and  confusion  to  him  that  is  assaulted. 
As  when  Satan  tempted  the  women  in  the 
garden,  Job  by  divers  tribulations,  and  David 
by  adultery.  The  scribes  and  Pharisees 
tempted  Christ  by  divers  means,  questions, 
and  subtleties.  And  of  this  matter,  saith  St. 
James,  "God  tempteth  no  man";  that  is,  by 
temptation  proceeding  immediately  from  Him 
He  intends  no  man's  destruction.  And  here 
you  shall  note,  that  altho  Satan  appears 

175 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

sometimes  to  prevail  against  God's  elect,  yet 
he  is  ever  frustrated  of  his  final  purpose.  By 
temptation  He  led  Eve  and  David  from  the 
obedience  of  God,  but  He  could  not  retain 
them  forever  under  His  thraldom.  Power 
was  granted  to  Him  to  spoil  Job  of  his  sub- 
stance and  children,  and  to  strike  his  body 
with  a  plague  and  sickness  most  vile  and  fear- 
ful, but  He  could  not  compel  his  mouth  to 
blaspheme  God's  majesty;  and,  therefore,  al- 
tho  we  are  laid  open  sometimes,  as  it  were,  to 
tribulation  for  a  time,  it  is  that  when  He  has 
poured  forth  the  venom  of  His  malice  against 
God's  elect  it  may  return  to  His  own  confu- 
sion, and  that  the  deliverance  of  God's  chil- 
dren may  be  more  to  His  glory,  and  the 
comfort  of  the  afflicted:  knowing  that  His 
hand  is  so  powerful,  His  mercy  and  good-will 
so  prompt,  that  He  delivers  His  little  ones 
from  their  cruel  enemy,  even  as  David  did 
his  sheep  and  lambs  from  the  mouth  of  the 
lion.  For  a  little  benefit  received  in  extreme 
danger  more  moves  us  than  the  preservation 
from  ten  thousand  perils,  so  that  we  fall  not 
into  them.  And  yet  to  preserve  from  dangers 
and  perils  so  that  we  fall  not  into  them, 
whether  they  are  of  body  or  spirit,  is  no 
less  the  work  of  God  than  to  deliver  from 
them;  but  the  weakness  of  our  faith  does 
not  perceive  it :  this  I  leave  at  the  present 

Also,  to  tempt  means  simply  to  prove  or 
try  without  any  determinate  purpose  or  profit 

176 


KNOX 

or  damage  to  ensue ;  as  when  the  mind  doubt- 
eth  of  anything,  and  therein  desires  to  be 
satisfied,  without  great  love  or  extreme  hatred 
of  the  thing  that  is  tempted  or  tried.  David 
tempted;  that  is,  tried  himself  if  he  could  go 
in  harness.  (I  Sam.  xvii.)  And  Gideon 
said,  "Let  not  thine  anger  kindle  against  me, 
if  I  tempt  thee  once  again."  So  the  Queen 
of  Sheba  came  to  tempt  Solomon  in  subtle 
questions.  This  famous  queen,  not  fully  trust- 
ing the  report  and  fame  that  was  spread  of 
Solomon,  by  subtle  questions  desired  to  prove 
his  wisdom;  at  the  first,  neither  extremely 
hating  nor  fervently  loving  the  person  of  the 
king.  And  David,  as  a  man  not  accustomed 
to  harness,  would  try  how  he  was  able  to  go, 
and  behave  and  fashion  himself  therein,  be- 
fore he  would  hazard  battle  with  Goliath  so 
armed.  And  Gideon,  not  satisfied  in  his  con- 
science by  the  first  that  he  received,  desired, 
without  contempt  or  hatred  of  God,  a  second 
time  to  be  certified  of  his  vocation.  In  this 
sense  must  the  apostle  be  expounded  when  he 
commands  us  to  tempt;  that  is,  to  try  and 
examine  ourselves,  if  we  stand  in  the  faith. 
Thus  much  for  the  term. 

Now  to  the  person  tempted,  and  to  the  time 
•and  place  of  his  temptation.  The  person 
tempted  is  the  only  well-beloved  Son  of  God; 
the  time  was  immediately  after  His  baptism; 
and  the  place  was  the  desert  or  wilderness. 
But  that  we  derive  advantage  from  what  is 

1—12  177 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

related,  we  must  consider  the  same  more  pro- 
foundly. That  the  Son  of  God  was  thus 
tempted  gives  instructions  to  us,  that  temp- 
tations, altho  they  be  ever  so  grievous  and 
fearful,  do  not  separate  us  from  God's  favor 
and  mercy,  but  rather  declare  the  great  graces 
of  God  to  appertain  to  us,  which  makes  Satan 
to  rage  as  a  roaring  lion;  for  against  none 
does  He  so  fiercely  fight  as  against  those  of 
whose  hearts  Christ  has  taken  possession. 

The  time  of  Christ's  temptation  is  here 
most  diligently  to  be  noted.  And  that  was, 
as  Mark  and  Luke  witness,  immediately  after 
the  voice  of  God  the  Father  had  commended 
His  Son  to  the  world,  and  had  visibly  pointed 
to  Him  by  the  sign  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  He  was 
led  or  moved  by  the  Spirit  to  go  to  a  wilder- 
ness, where  forty  days  he  remained  fasting 
among  the  wild  beasts.  This  Spirit  which  led 
Christ  into  the  wilderness  was  not  the  devil, 
but  the  holy  Spirit  of  God  the  Father,  by 
whom  Christ,  as  touching  His  human 
and  manly  nature,  was  conducted  and  led; 
likewise  by  the  same  Spirit  He  was  strength- 
ened and  made  strong,  and,  finally,  raised 
up  from  the  dead.  The  Spirit  of  God,  I  say, 
led  Christ  to  the  place  of  His  battle,  where 
He  endured  the  combat  for  the  whole  forty 
days  and  nights.  As  Luke  saith,  "He  was 
tempted,"  but  in  the  end  most  vehemently, 
after  His  continual  fasting,  and  that  He  be- 
gan to  be  hungry.  Upon  this  forty  days  and 

178 


KNOX 

this  fasting  of  Christ  do  our  Papists  found 
and  build  their  Lent;  for,  say  they,  all  the 
actions  of  Christ  are  our  instructions;  what 
He  did  we  ought  to  follow.  But  He  fasted 
forty  days,  therefore  we  ought  to  do  the  like. 
I  answer,  that  if  we  ought  to  follow  all 
Christ's  actions,  then  ought  we  neither  to  eat 
nor  drink  for  the  space  of  forty  days,  for  so 
fasted  Christ ;  we  ought  to  go  upon  the  waters 
with  our  feet ;  to  cast  out  devils  by  our  word ; 
to  heal  and  cure  all  sorts  of  maladies ;  to  call 
again  the  dead  to  life;  for  so  did  Christ. 
This  I  write  only  that  men  may  see  the  vanity 
of  those  who,  boasting  themselves  of  wisdom, 
have  become  fools. 

Did  Christ  fast  those  forty  days  to  teach  us 
superstitious  fasting?  Can  the  Papists  as- 
sure me,  or  any  other  man,  which  were  the 
forty  days  that  Christ  fasted?  plain  it  is  he 
fasted  the  forty  days  and  nights  that  immedi- 
ately followed  His  baptism,  but  which  they 
were,  or  in  what  month  was  the  day  of  His 
baptism,  Scripture  does  not  express;  and  al- 
tho  the  day  were  exprest,  am  I  or  any 
Christian  bound  to  counterfeit  Christ's  ac- 
tions as  the  ape  counterfeits  the  act  or  work 
of  man?  He  Himself  requires  no  such  obedi- 
ence of  His  true  followers,  but  saith  to  the 
apostles,  "Go  and  preach  the  gospel  to  all 
nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  com- 
manding them  to  observe  and  keep  all  that  I 

179 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

have  commanded  you."  Here  Christ  Jesus 
requires  the  observance  of  His  precepts  and 
commandments,  not  of  His  actions,  except  in 
so  far  as  He  had  also  commanded  them;  and 
so  must  the  apostle  be  understood  when  he 
saith,  "Be  followers  of  Christ,  for  Christ  hath 
suffered  for  us,  that  we  should  follow  His 
footsteps,"  which  can  not  be  understood  of 
every  action  of  Christ,  either  in  the  mystery 
of  our  redemption,  or  in  His  actions  and  mar- 
velous works,  but  only  of  those  which  He  hath 
commanded  us  to  observe.  But  where  the 
Papists  are  so  diligent  in  establishing  their 
dreams  and  fantasies,  they  lose  the  profit  that 
here  is  to  be  gathered;  that  is,  why  Christ 
fasted  those  forty  days ;  which  were  a  doctrine 
more  necessary  for  Christians  than  to  corrupt 
the  simple  hearts  with  superstition,  as  tho 
the  wisdom  of  God,  Christ  Jesus,  had  taught 
us  no  other  mystery  by  His  fasting  than  the 
abstinence  from  flesh,  or  once  on  the  day  to 
eat  flesh,  for  the  space  of  forty  days.  God 
hath  taken  a  just  vengeance  upon  the  pride 
of  such  men,  while  He  thus  confounds  the  wis- 
dom of  those  that  do  most  glory  in  wisdom, 
and  strikes  with  blindness  such  as  will  be 
guides  and  lanterns  to  the  feet  of  others,  and 
yet  refuse  themselves  to  hear  or  follow  the 
light  of  God's  word.  From  such  deliver  thy 
poor  flock,  0  Lord ! 

The  uses  of   Christ's   fasting  these   forty 
days  I  find  chiefly  to  be  two:     The  first,  to 

180 


KNOX 

witness  to  the  world  the  dignity  and  excel- 
lence of  His  vocation,  which  Christ,  after 
His  baptism,  was  to  take  upon  Him  openly; 
the  other,  to  declare  that  he  entered  into 
battle  willingly  for  our  cause,  and  does,  as 
it  were,  provoke  his  adversary  to  assault 
Him :  altho  Christ  Jesus,  in  the  eternal  coun- 
sel of  His  Father,  was  appointed  to  be  the 
Prince  of  Peace,  the  angel  (that  is,  the  mes- 
senger) of  His  testament,  and  He  alone  that 
could  fight  our  battles  for  us,  yet  He  did 
not  enter  in  execution  of  it,  in  the  sight  of 
men,  till  He  was  commended  to  mankind  by 
the  voice  of  His  heavenly  Father;  and  as 
He  was  placed  and  anointed  by  the  Holy 
Ghost  by  a  visible  sign  given  to  the  eyes  of 
men.  After  which  time  He  was  led  to  the 
desert,  and  fasted,  as  before  is  said;  and  this 
He  did  to  teach  us  with  what  fear,  careful- 
ness, and  reverence  the  messengers  of  the 
Word  ought  to  enter  on  their  vocation,  which 
is  not  only  most  excellent  (for  who  is  worthy 
to  be  God's  ambassador?)  but  also  subject 
to  most  extreme  troubles  and  dangers.  For 
he  that  is  appointed  pastor,  watchman, 
or  preacher,  if  he  feed  not  with  his  whole 
power,  if  he  warn  and  admonish  not  when  he 
sees  the  snare  come,  and  if,  in  doctrine,  he 
divide  not  the  Word  righteously,  the  blood 
and  souls  of  those  that  perish  for  lack  of 
food,  admonition,  and  doctrine  shall  be  re- 
quired of  his  hand. 

181 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

But  to  our  purpose;  that  Christ  exceeded 
not  the  space  of  forty  days  in  His  fasting, 
He  did  it  to  the  imitation  of  Moses  and  Elias ; 
of  whom,  the  one  before  the  receiving  of  the 
law,  and  the  other  before  the  communication 
and  reasoning  which  he  had  with  God  in 
Mount  Horeb,  in  which  He  was  commanded 
to  anoint  Hazael  king  over  Syria,  and  Jehu 
king  over  Israel,  and  Elisha  to  be  prophet, 
fasted  the  same  number  of  days.  The  events 
that  ensued  and  followed  this  supernatural 
fasting  of  these  two  servants  of  God,  Moses 
and  Elias,  impaired  and  diminished  the 
tyranny  of  the  kingdom  of  Satan.  For  by  the 
law  came  the  knowledge  of  sin,  the  damna- 
tion of  such  impieties,  specially  of  idolatry, 
and  such  as  the  devil  had  invented;  and, 
finally,  by  the  law  came  such  a  revelation  of 
God's  will  that  no  man  could  justly  after- 
ward excuse  his  sin  by  ignorance,  by  which 
the  devil  before  had  blinded  many.  So  that 
the  law,  altho  it  might  not  renew  and  purge 
the  heart,  for  that  the  Spirit  of  Christ  Jesus 
worketh  by  faith  only,  yet  it  was  a  bridle 
that  did  hinder  and  stay  the  rage  of  exter- 
nal wickedness  in  many,  and  was  a  school- 
master that  led  unto  Christ.  For  when  man 
can  find  no  power  in  himself  to  do  that 
which  is  commanded,  and  perfectly  under- 
stands, and  when  he  believes  that  the  curse 
of  God  is  pronounced  against  those  that  abide 
not  in  everything  that  is  commanded  in  God 's 

182 


KNOX 

law  to  do  them — the  man,  I  say,  that  under- 
stands and  knows  his  own  corrupt  nature 
and  God's  severe  judgment,  most  gladly  will 
receive  the  free  redemption  offered  by  Christ 
Jesus,  which  is  the  only  victory  that  over- 
throws Satan  and  his  power.  And  so  by  the 
giving  of  the  law  God  greatly  weakened,  im- 
paired, and  made  frail  the  tyranny  and  king- 
dom of  the  devil.  In  the  days  of  Elias,  the 
devil  had  so  prevailed  that  kings  and  rulers 
made  open  war  against  God,  killing  His 
prophets,  destroying  His  ordinances,  and 
building  up  idolatry,  which  did  so  prevail 
that  the  prophet  complained  that  of  all  the 
true  fearers  and  worshipers  of  God  he  was 
left  alone,  and  wicked  Jezebel  sought  His 
life  also.  After  this,  his  fasting  and  com- 
plaint, he  was  sent  by  God  to  anoint  the 
persons  aforenamed,  who  took  such  vengeance 
upon  the  wicked  and  obstinate  idolaters 
that  he  who  escaped  the  sword  of  Hazael 
fell  into  the  hands  of  Jehu,  and  those  whom 
Jehu  left  escaped  not  God's  vengeance  under 
Elisha. 

The  remembrance  of  this  was  fearful  to 
Satan,  for,  at  the  coming  of  Christ  Jesus, 
impiety  was  in  the  highest  degree  among 
those  that  pretended  most  knowledge  of  God's 
will ;  and  Satan  was  at  such  rest  in  his  king- 
dom that  the  priests,  scribes  and  Pharisees 
had  taken  away  the  key  of  knowledge;  that 
is,  they  had  so  obscured  and  darkened  God's 

183 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

Holy  Scriptures,  by  false  glosses  and  vain 
traditions,  that  neither  would  they  themselves 
enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  nor  suffer 
and  permit  others  to  enter;  but  with  violence 
restrained,  and  with  tyranny  struck  back 
from  the  right  way,  that  is,  from  Christ  Jesus 
Himself,  such  as  would  have  entered  into  the 
possession  of  life  everlasting  by  Him.  Satan, 
I  say,  having  such  dominion  over  the  chief 
rulers  of  the  visible  Church,  and  espying  in 
Christ,  such  graces  as  before  he  had  not  seen  in 
man,  and  considering  Him  to  follow  in  fast- 
ing the  footsteps  of  Moses  and  Elias,  no  doubt 
greatly  feared  that  the  quietness  and  rest  of 
his  most  obedient  servants,  the  priests,  and 
their  adherents,  would  be  troubled  by  Christ. 
And,  therefore,  by  all  engines  and  craft,  he 
assaults  Him  to  see  what  advantage  he  could 
have  of  Him.  And  Christ  did  not  repel  him. 
as  by  the  power  of  His  Godhead  He  might 
have  done,  that  he  should  not  tempt  Him,  but 
permitted  him  to  spend  all  his  artillery,  and 
received  the  strokes  and  assaults  of  Satan's 
temptations  in  His  own  body,  to  the  end  He 
might  weaken  and  enfeeble  the  strength  and 
tyrannous  power  of  our  adversary  by  His 
long  suffering.  For  thus,  methinks,  our 
Master  and  Champion,  Jesus  Christ,  pro- 
voked our  enemy  to  battle:  "Satan,  thou 
gloriest  of  thy  power  and  victories  over  man- 
kind, that  there  is  none  able  to  withstand  thy 
assaults,  nor  escape  thy  darts,  but  at  one  time 

184 


KNOX 

or  other  thou  givest  him  a  wound:  lo!  I  am 
a  man  like  to  my  brethren,  having  flesh  and 
blood,  and  all  properties  of  man's  nature  (sin, 
which  is  thy  venom,  excepted)  ;  tempt,  try, 
and  assault  me ;  I  offer  you  here  a  place  most 
convenient — the  wilderness.  There  shall  be 
no  mortal  to  comfort  me  against  thy  assaults ; 
thou  shalt  have  time  sufficient;  do  what  thou 
canst,  I  shall  not  fly  the  place  of  battle.  If 
thou  become  victor,  thou  shalt  still  continue 
in  possession  of  thy  kingdom  in  this  wretched 
world;  but  if  thou  canst  not  prevail  against 
me,  then  must  thy  prey  and  unjust  spoil  be 
taken  from  thee;  thou  must  grant  thyself 
vanquished  and  confounded,  and  must  be 
compelled  to  leave  off  from  all  accusation  of 
the  members  of  my  body;  for  to  them  apper- 
tains the  fruit  of  my  battle,  my  victory  is 
theirs,  as  I  am  appointed  to  take  the  punish- 
ment of  their  sins  in  my  body. ' ' 

What  comfort  ought  the  remembrance 
of  these  signs  to  be  to  our  hearts! 
Christ  Jesus  hath  fought  our  battle;  lie 
Himself  hath  taken  us  into  His  care  and 
protection;  however  the  devil  may  rage  by 
temptations,  be  they  spiritual  or  corporeal, 
he  is  not  able  to  bereave  us  out  of  the  hand 
of  the  almighty  Son  of  God.  To  Him  be  all 
glory  for  His  mercies  most  abundantly  poured 
upon  us! 

There  remains  yet  to  be  spoken  of  the 
time  when  our  Lord  was  tempted,  which  be- 

185 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

gan  immediately  after  His  baptism.  Where- 
upon we  have  to  note  the  mark,  that  altho  the 
malice  of  Satan  never  ceases,  but  always  seeks 
for  means  to  trouble  the  godly,  yet  some- 
times he  rages  more  fiercely  than  others,  and 
that  is  commonly  when  God  begins  to  mani- 
fest His  love  and  favor  to  any  of  His  children, 
and  at  the  end  of  their  battle,  when  they  are 
nearest  to  obtain  final  victory.  The  devil,  no 
doubt,  did  at  all  times  envy  the  humble  spirit 
that  was  in  Abel,  but  he  did  not  stir  up  the 
cruel  heart  of  Cain  against  him  till  God  de- 
clared His  favor  toward  him  by  accepting 
his  sacrifice.  The  same  we  find  in  Jacob, 
Joseph,  David,  and  most  evidently  in  Christ 
Jesus.  How  Satan  raged  at  the  tidings  of 
Christ's  nativity!  what  blood  he  caused  to 
be  shed  on  purpose  to  have  murdered  Christ 
in  His  infancy!  The  evangelist  St.  Matthew 
witnesses  that  in  all  the  coasts  and  borders 
of  Bethlehem  the  children  of  two  years  old 
and  less  age  were  murdered  without  mercy. 
A  fearful  spectacle  and  horrid  example  of 
insolent  and  unaccustomed  tyranny!  And 
what  is  the  cause  moving  Satan  thus  to  rage 
against  innocents,  considering  that  by  reason 
of  their  imperfections  they  could  not  hurt 
his  kingdom  at  that  instant?  Oh,  the  crafty 
eye  of  Satan  looked  farther  than  to  the  pres- 
ent time;  he  heard  reports  by  the  three  wise 
men,  that  they  had  learned  by  the  appearance 
of  a  star  that  the  Fi  ig  of  the  Jews  was  born ; 

186 


KNOX 

and  he  was  not  ignorant  that  the  time 
prophesied  of  Christ's  coming  was  then  in- 
stant; for  a  stranger  was  clad  with  the  crown 
and  scepter  of  Judah.  The  angel  had  de- 
clared the  glad  tidings  to  the  shepherds,  that 
a  Savior,  which  was  Christ  the  Lord,  was 
born  in  the  city  of  David.  All  these  tidings 
inflamed  the  wrath  and  malice  of  Satan,  for 
he  perfectly  understood  that  the  coming  of 
the  promised  Seed  was  appointed  to  his  con- 
fusion, and  to  the  breaking  down  of  his  head 
and  tyranny;  and  therefore  he  raged  most 
cruelly,  even  at  the  first  hearing  of  Christ's 
birth,  thinking  that  altho  he  could  not  hinder 
nor  withstand  His  coming,  yet  he  could 
shorten  his  days  upon  earth,  lest  by  long  life 
and  peaceable  quietness  in  it,  the  number  of 
good  men,  by  Christ's  doctrine  and  virtuous 
life,  should  be  multiplied ;  and  so  he  strove  to 
cut  Him  away  among  the  other  children  be- 
fore He  could  open  His  mouth  on  His 
Father 's  message.  Oh,  cruel  serpent !  in  vain 
dost  thou  spend  thy  venom,  for  the  days  of 
God's  elect  thou  canst  not  shorten!  And 
when  the  wheat  is  fallen  on  the  ground,  then 
doth  it  most  multiply. 

But  from  these  things  mark,  wflat  hath 
been  the  practise  of  the  devil  from  the 
beginning — most  cruelly  to  rage  against 
God's  children  when  God  begin**  to  show 
them  His  mercy.  And,  therefore,  marvel  not, 
dearly  beloved,  altho  the  like  cou.e  unto  you. 

187 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

If  Satan  fume  or  roar  against  you,  whether 
it  be  against  your  bodies  by  persecution,  or 
inwardly  in  your  conscience  by  a  spiritual 
battle,  be  not  discouraged,  as  tho  you  were 
less  acceptable  in  God's  presence,  or  as  if 
Satan  might  at  any  time  prevail  against  you. 
No;  your  temptations  and  storms,  that  arise 
so  suddenly,  argue  and  witness  that  the  seed 
which  is  sown  is  fallen  on  good  ground,  be- 
gins to  take  root  and  shall,  by  God's  grace, 
bring  forth  fruit  abundantly  in  due  season 
and  convenient  time.  That  is  it  which  Satan 
fears,  and  therefore  thus  he  rages,  and  shall 
rage  against  you,  thinking  that  if  he  can  re- 
pulse you  now  suddenly  in  the  beginning,  that 
then  you  shall  be  at  all  times  an  easy  prey, 
never  able  to  resist  his  assaults.  But  as  my 
hope  is  good,  so  shall  my  prayer  be,  that  so 
you  may  be  strengthened,  that  the  world  and 
Satan  himself  may  perceive  or  understand 
that  God  fights  your  battle.  For  you  remem- 
ber that  being  present  with  you  and  treat- 
ing of  the  same  place,  I  admonished  you 
that  Satan  could  not  long  sleep  when  his 
kingdom  was  threatened.  And  therefore  I 
willed  you,  if  you  were  in  mind  to  continue 
with  Christ,  to  prepare  yourselves  for  the  day 
of  temptation.  The  person  of  the  speaker  is 
wretched,  miserable,  and  nothing  to  be  re- 
garded, but  the  things  that  were  spoken  are 
the  infallible  and  eternal  truth  of  God ;  with- 
out observation  of  which,  life  neither  can  or 

188 


KNOX 

shall  come  to  mankind.     God  grant  you  con- 
tinuance to  the  end. 

This  much  have  I  briefly  spoken  of  the 
temptation  of  Christ  Jesus,  who  was  tempted ; 
and  of  the  time  and  place  of  His  temptation. 
Now  remains  to  be  spoken  how  He  was 
tempted,  and  by  what  means.  The  most  part 
of  expositors  think  that  all  this  temptation  was 
in  spirit  and  in  imagination  only,  the  corporeal 
senses  being  nothing  moved.  I  will  contend 
with  no  man  in  such  cases,  but  patiently  will 
I  suffer  every  man  to  abound  in  his  own 
knowledge;  and  without  prejudice  of  any 
man's  estimation,  I  offer  my  judgment  to 
be  weighed  and  considered  by  Christian 
charity.  It  appears  to  me  by  the  plain  text 
that  Christ  suffered  this  temptation  in  body 
and  spirit.  Likewise,  as  the  hunger  which 
Christ  suffered,  and  the  desert  in  which  He 
remained,  were  not  things  offered  to  the  im- 
agination, but  that  the  body  did  verily  re- 
main in  the  wilderness  among  beasts,  and 
after  forty  days  did  hunger  and  faint  for 
lack  of  food ;  so  the  external  ear  did  hear  the 
tempting  words  of  Satan,  which  entered  into 
the  knowledge  of  the  soul,  and  which,  repel- 
ling the  venom  of  such  temptations,  caused 
the  tongue  to  speak  and  confute  Satan,  to 
our  unspeakable  comfort  and  consolation. 
It  appears  also  that  the  body  of  Christ  Jesus 
was  carried  by  Satan  from  the  wilderness 
unto  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  and  that  it 

189 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

was  placed  upon  the  pinnacle  of  the  same 
temple,  from  whence  it  was  carried  to  a  high 
mountain  and  there  tempted.  If  any  man 
can  show  to  the  contrary  hereof  by  the  plain 
Scriptures  of  God,  with  all  submission  and 
thanksgiving  I  will  prefer  his  judgment  to 
my  own ;  but  if  the  matter  stand  only  in  prob- 
ability and  opinion  of  men,  then  it  is  law- 
ful for  me  to  believe  as  the  Scripture  here 
speaks;  that  is,  that  Satan  spake  and  Christ 
answered,  and  Satan  took  Him  and  carried 
Him  from  one  place  to  another.  Besides  the 
evidence  of  the  text  affirming  that  Satan  was 
permitted  to  carry  the  body  of  Christ  from 
place  to  place,  and  yet  was  not  permitted  to 
execute  any  further  tyranny  against  it,  is 
most  singular  comfort  to  such  as  are  afflicted 
or  troubled  in  body  or  spirit.  The  weak 
and  feeble  conscience  of  man  under  such 
temptations,  commonly  gathers  and  collects 
a  false  consequence.  For  man  reasons  thus: 
The  body  or  the  spirit  is  vexed  by  assaults 
and  temptations  of  Satan,  and  he  troubles 
or  molests  it,  therefore  God  is  angry  with  it, 
and  takes  no  care  of  it.  I  answer,  tribula- 
tions or  grievous  vexations  of  body  or  of 
mind  are  never  signs  of  God's  displeasure 
against  the  sufferer,  neither  yet  does  it  fol- 
low that  God  has  cast  away  the  care  of  His 
creatures  because  He  permits  them  to  be  mo- 
lested and  vexed  for  a  time.  For  if  any  sort 
of  tribulation  were  the  infallible  sign  of  God's 

190 


KNOX 

displeasure,  then  should  we  condemn  the  best 
beloved  children  of  God.  But  of  this  we  may 
speak  hereafter.  Now  to  the  temptation. 

Verse  2.  "And  when  he  fasteth  forty  days 
and  forty  nights,  He  was  afterwards  an 
hungered."  Verse  3.  'Then  came  to  Him 
the  tempter,'  and  said,  'If  you  be  the  Son 
of  God,  command  that  these  stones  be  made 
bread,"  etc.  Why  Christ  fasted  forty  days 
and  would  not  exceed  the  same,  without  sense 
and  feeling  of  hunger,  is  before  touched  upon, 
that  is,  He  would  provoke  the  devil  to  battle 
by  the  wilderness  and  long  abstinence,  but  He 
would  not  usurp  or  arrogate  any  more  to 
Himself  in  that  case  than  God  had  wrought 
with  others,  His  servants  and  messengers  be- 
fore. But  Christ  Jesus  (as  St.  Augustine  more 
amply  declares),  without  feeling  of  hunger, 
might  have  endured  the  whole  year,  or  to 
time  without  end,  as  well  as  He  did  endure 
the  space  of  forty  days.  For  the  nature  of 
mankind  was  sustained  those  forty  days  by 
the  invisible  power  of  God,  which  is  at  all 
times  of  equal  power.  But  Christ,  willing  to 
offer  further  occasion  to  Satan  to  proceed  in 
tempting  of  Him,  permitted  the  human  na- 
ture to  crave  earnestly  that  which  it  lacked, 
that  is  to  say,  refreshing  of  meat;  which 
Satan  perceiving  took  occasion,  as  before,  to 
tempt  and  assault.  Some  judge  that  Satan 
tempted  Christ  to  gluttony,  but  this  appears 
little  to  agree  with  the  purpose  of  the  Holy 

191 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

Ghost;  who  shows  us  this  history  to  let  us 
understand  that  Satan  never  ceases  to  oppugn 
the  children  of  God,  but  continually,  by  one 
mean  or  other,  drives  or  provokes  them  to 
some  wicked  opinions  of  their  God;  and  to 
have  them  desire  stones  to  be  converted  into 
bread,  or  to  desire  hunger  to  be  satisfied,  has 
never  been  sin,  nor  yet  a  wicked  opinion  of 
God.  And  therefore  I  doubt  not  but  the 
temptation  was  more  spiritual,  more  subtle, 
and  more  dangerous.  Satan  had  respect  to 
the  voice  of  God,  which  had  pronounced 
Christ  to  be  His  well-beloved  Son,  etc. 
Against  this  voice  he  fights,  as  his  nature  is 
ever  to  do  against  the  assured  and  immu- 
table Word  of  God;  for  such  is  his  malice 
against  God,  and  against  His  chosen  children, 
that  where  and  to  whom  God  pronounces  love 
and  mercy,  to  these  he  threatens  displeasures 
and  damnation;  and  where  God  threatens 
death,  there  is  he  bold  to  pronounce  life ;  and 
for  this  course  is  Satan  called  a  liar  from  the 
beginning.  And  so  the  purpose  of  Satan 
was  to  drive  Christ  into  desperation,  that 
he  should  not  believe  the  former  voice  of  God 
His  Father ;  which  appears  to  be  the  meaning 
of  this  temptation:  "Thou  hast  heard," 
would  Satan  say,  "a  voice  proclaimed  in  the 
air,  that  Thou  wast  the  beloved  Son  of  God, 
in  whom  His  soul  was  pleased ;  but  mayst  Thou 
not  be  judged  more  than  mad,  and  weaker 
than  the  brainless  fool  if  Thou  believest  any 

192 


KNOX 

such  promise?  Where  are  the  signs  of  His 
love?  Art  Thou  not  cast  out  from  comfort 
of  all  creatures  ?  Thou  art  in  worse  case  than 
the  brute  beasts,  for  every  day  they  hunt  for 
their  prey,  and  the  earth  produces  grass  and 
herbs  for  their  sustenance,  so  that  none  of 
them  are  pined  and  consumed  away  by 
hunger ;  but  Thou  hast  fasted  forty  days  and 
nights,  ever  waiting  for  some  relief  and  com- 
fort from  above,  but  Thy  best  provision  is 
hard  stones !  If  Thou  dost  glory  in  thy  God, 
and  dost  verily  believe  the  promise  that  is 
made,  command  that  these  stones  be  bread. 
But  evident  it  is  that  so  Thou  canst  not  do; 
for  if  Thou  couldst,  or  if  Thy  God  would  have 
showed  Thee  any  such  pleasure,  Thou  mightest 
long  ago  have  removed  Thy  hunger,  and  need- 
est  not  have  endured  this  languishing  for  lack 
of  food.  But  seeing  Thou  hast  long  continued 
thus,  and  no  provision  is  made  for  Thee,  it 
is  vanity  longer  to  believe  any  such  promise, 
and  therefore  despair  of  any  help  from  God's 
hand,  and  provide  for  Thyself  by  some  other 
means ! ' ' 

Many  words  have  I  used  here,  dearly  be- 
loved, but  I  can  not  express  the  thousandth 
part  of  the  malicious  despite  which  lurked 
in  this  one  temptation  of  Satan.  It  was  a 
mocking  of  Christ  and  of  His  obedience.  It 
was  a  plain  denial  of  God's  promise.  It  was 
the  triumphing  voice  of  him  that  appeared 
to  have  gotten  victory.  Oh,  how  bitter  this 

1—13  193 


THE  WORLD'S   GREAT   SERMONS 

temptation  was  no  creature  can  understand 
but  such  as  feel  the  grief  of  such  darts  as 
Satan  casts  at  the  tender  conscience  of  those 
that  gladly  would  rest  and  repose  in  God, 
and  in  the  promises  of  His  mercy.  But  here 
is  to  be  noted  the  ground  and  foundation. 
The  conclusion  of  Satan  is  this:  Thou  art 
none  of  God's  elect,  much  less  His  well-be- 
loved Son.  His  reason  is  this:  Thou  art  in 
trouble  and  findest  no  relief.  There  the  foun- 
dation of  the  temptation  was  Christ's  pov- 
erty, and  the  lack  of  food  without  hope  of 
remedy  to  be  sent  from  God.  And  it  is  the 
same  temptation  which  the  devil  objected  to 
Him  by  the  princes  of  the  priests  in  His 
grievous  torments  upon  the  cross;  for  thus 
they  cried,  "If  he  be  the  Son  of  God,  let  him 
come  down  from  the  cross  and  we  will  be- 
lieve in  him;  he  trusted  in  God,  let  him  de- 
liver him,  if  he  have  the  pleasure  in  him." 
As  tho  they  would  say,  God  is  the  deliverer 
of  His  servants  from  troubles ;  God  never  per- 
mits those  that  fear  Him  to  come  to  confu- 
sion; this  man  we  see  in  extreme  trouble; 
if  He  be  the  Son  of  God,  or  even  a  true  wor- 
shiper of  His  name,  He  will  deliver  Him  from 
this  calamity.  If  He  deliver  Him  not,  but 
suffer  Him  to  perish  in  these  anguishes,  then 
it  is  an  assured  sign  that  God  has  rejected 
Him  as  a  hypocrite,  that  shall  have  no  por- 
tion of  His  glory.  Thus,  I  say,  Satan  takes 
occasion  to  tempt,  and  moves  also  others  to 

194 


KNOX 

judge  and  condemn  Gcd's  elect  and  chosen 
children,  by  reason  that  troubles  are  multi- 
plied upon  them. 

But  with  what  weapons  we  ought  to  fight 
against  such  enemies  and  assaults  we  shall 
learn  in  the  answer  of  Christ  Jesus,  which 
follows:  But  He,  answering,  said  "It  is 
written,  man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but 
by  every  word  which  proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God. ' '  This  answer  of  Christ  proves 
the  sentence  which  we  have  brought  of  the 
aforesaid  temptation  to  be  the  very  meaning  of 
the  Holy  Ghost;  for  unless  the  purpose  of 
Satan  has  been  to  have  removed  Christ  from 
all  hope  of  God's  merciful  providence  toward 
Him  in  that  His  necessity,  Christ  had  not 
answered  directly  to  his  words,  saying,  ' '  Com- 
mand that  these  stones  be  made  bread. ' '  But 
Christ  Jesus,  perceiving  his  art  and  malicious 
subtility,  answered  directly  to  his  meaning, 
His  words  nothing  regarded ;  by  which  Satan 
was  so  confounded  that  he  was  ashamed  to 
reply  any  further. 

But  that  you  may  the  better  understand 
the  meaning  of  Christ's  answer,  we  will  ex- 
press and  repeat  it  over  in  more  words. 
"Thou  laborest,  Satan,"  would  Christ  say, 
"to  bring  into  my  heart  a  doubt  and  suspi- 
cion of  My  Father's  promise,  which  was 
openly  proclaimed  in  My  baptism,  by  reason 
of  My  hunger,  and  that  I  lack  all  carnal  pro- 
vision. Thou  art  bold  to  affirm  that  God  takes 

195 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

no  care  for  Me,  but  thou  art  a  deceitful  and 
false  corrupt  sophister,  and  thy  argument,  too, 
is  vain,  and  full  of  blasphemies;  for  thou 
bindest  God's  love,  mercy,  and  providence 
to  the  having  or  wanting  of  bodily  provision, 
which  no  part  of  God's  Scriptures  teach  us, 
but  rather  the  express  contrary.  As  it  is 
written, '  Man  doth  not  live  by  bread  alone,  but 
by  every  word  that  proceedeth  out  of  the 
mouth  of  God,'  that  is,  the  very  life  and 
felicity  of  man  consists  not  in  the  abundance 
of  bodily  things,  or  the  possession  and  having 
of  them  makes  no  man  blest  or  happy; 
neither  shall  the  lack  of  them  be  the  cause 
of  his  final  misery;  but  the  very  life  of  man 
consists  in  God,  and  in  His  promises  pro- 
nounced by  His  own  mouth,  unto  which  whoso 
cleaves  unfeignedly  shall  live  the  life  ever- 
lasting. And  altho  all  creatures  in  earth  for- 
sake him,  yet  shall  not  his  bodily  life  per- 
ish till  the  time  appointed  by  God  approach. 
For  God  has  means  to  feed,  preserve,  and 
maintain,  unknown  to  man's  reason,  and 
contrary  to  the  common  course  of  nature. 
He  fed  His  people  Israel  in  the  desert  forty 
years  without  the  provision  of  man.  He  pre- 
served Jonah  in  the  whale's  belly,  and  main- 
tained and  kept  the  bodies  of  the  three  chil- 
dren in  the  furnace  of  fire.  Reason  and  the 
natural  man  could  have  seen  nothing  in  these 
cases  but  destruction  and  death,  and  could 
have  judged  nothing  but  that  God  had  cast 

196 


KNOX 

away  the  care  of  these,  His  creatures,  and 
yet  His  providence  was  most  vigilant  toward 
them  in  the  extremity  of  their  dangers,  from 
which  He  did  so  deliver  them,  and  in  the 
midst  of  them  did  so  assist  them,  that  His 
glory,  which  is  His  mercy  and  goodness,  did 
more  appear  and  shine  after  their  troubles 
than  it  could  have  done  if  they  had  fallen 
in  them.  And  therefore  I  measure  not  the 
truth  and  favor  of  God  by  having  or  by 
lacking  of  bodily  necessities,  but  by  the  prom- 
ise which  He  has  made  to  me.  As  He  Him- 
self is  immutable,  so  is  His  word  and  promise 
constant,  which  I  believe,  and  to  which  I 
will  adhere,  and  so  cleave,  whatever  can  come 
to  the  body  outwardly." 

In  this  answer  of  Christ  we  may  perceive 
what  weapons  are  to  be  used  against  our  ad- 
versary the  devil,  and  how  we  may  confute 
his  arguments,  which  craftily,  and  of  malice, 
he  makes  against  God's  elect.  Christ  might 
have  repulsed  Satan  with  a  word,  or  by  com- 
manding him  to  silence,  as  He  to  whom  all 
power  was  given  in  heaven  and  earth;  but  it 
pleased  His  mercy  to  teach  us  how  to  use 
the  sword  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  the 
word  of  God,  in  battle  against  our  spiritual 
enemy.  The  Scripture  which  Christ  brings 
is  written  in  the  eighth  chapter  of  Deu- 
teronomy. It  was  spoken  by  Moses  a  little 
before  His  death,  to  establish  the  people  in 
God's  merciful  providence.  For  in  the  same 

197 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

chapter,  and  in  certain  others  that  go  before, 
He  reckons  the  great  travail  and  divers  dan- 
gers with  the  extreme  necessities  that  they 
had  sustained  in  the  desert  the  space  of  forty 
years,  and  yet,  notwithstanding  how  constant 
God  had  been  in  keeping  and  performing 
His  promise,  for  throughout  all  perils  He 
had  conducted  them  to  the  sight  and  borders 
of  the  promised  land.  And  so  this  Scripture 
more  directly  answers  to  the  temptation  of 
Satan;  for  thus  does  Satan  reason,  as  before 
is  said,  ' '  Thou  art  in  poverty  and  hast  no  pro- 
vision to  sustain  thy  life.  Therefore  God 
takes  no  regard  nor  care  of  Thee,  as  He  doth 
over  His  chosen  children."  Christ  Jesus 
answered :  ' '  Thy  argument  is  false  and  vain ; 
for  poverty  or  necessity  precludes  not  the 
providence  or  care  of  God;  which  is  easy  to 
be  proved  by  the  people  of  God,  Israel,  who, 
in  the  desert,  oftentimes  lacked  things  neces- 
sary to  the  sustenance  of  life,  and  for  lack 
of  the  same  they  grudged  and  murmured; 
yet  the  Lord  never  cast  away  the  providence 
and  care  of  them,  but  according  to  the  word 
that  He  had  once  pronounced,  to  wit,  that  they 
were  His  peculiar  people;  and  according  to 
the  promise  made  to  Abraham,  and  to  them 
before  their  departure  from  Egypt,  He  still 
remained  their  conductor  and  guide,  till  He 
placed  them  in  peaceable  possession  of  the  land 
of  Canaan,  their  great  infirmities  and  mani- 
fold transgressions  notwithstanding. ' ' 

198 


KNOX 

Thus  are  we  taught,  I  say,  by  Christ  Jesus, 
to  repulse  Satan  and  his  assaults  by  the  Word 
of  God,  and  to  apply  the  examples  of  His 
mercies,  which  He  has  shown  to  others  before 
us,  to  our  own  souls  in  the  hour  of  tempta- 
tion, and  in  the  time  of  our  trouble.  For 
what  God  doth  to  one  at  any  time,  the  same 
appertains  to  all  that  depend  upon  God  and 
His  promises.  And,  therefore,  however  we 
are  assaulted  by  Satan,  our  adversary,  within 
the  Word  of  God  is  armor  and  weapons  suffi- 
cient. The  chief  craft  of  Satan  is  to  trouble 
those  that  begin  to  decline  from  his  obedience, 
and  to  declare  themselves  enemies  to  iniquity, 
with  divers  assaults,  the  design  whereof  is 
always  the  same;  that  is,  to  put  variance  be- 
twixt them  and  God  into  their  conscience, 
that  they  should  not  repose  and  rest  them- 
selves in  His  assured  promises.  And  to  per- 
suade this,  he  uses  and  invents  divers  argu- 
ments. Sometimes  he  calls  the  sins  of  their 
youth,  and  which  they  have  committed  in  the 
time  of  blindness,  to  their  remembrance; 
very  often  he  objects  their  un thankfulness 
toward  God  and  present  imperfections.  By 
sickness,  poverty,  tribulations  in  their  house- 
hold, or  by  persecution,  he  can  allege  that 
God  is  angry,  and  regard  them  not.  Or  by 
the  spiritual  cross  which  few  feel  and  fewer 
understand  the  utility  and  profit  of,  he  would 
drive  God's  children  to  desperation,  and  by 
infinite  means  more,  he  goeth  about  seeking, 

199 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

like  a  roaring  lion,  to  undermine  and  destroy 
our  faith.  But  it  is  imposible  for  him  to  pre- 
vail against  us  unless  we  obstinately  refuse 
to  use  the  defense  and  weapons  that  God  has 
offered.  Yea,  I  say,  that  God's  elect  can  not 
refuse  it,  but  seek  for  their  Defender  when 
the  battle  is  most  strong ;  for  the  sobs,  groans, 
and  lamentations  of  such  as  fight,  yea,  the 
fear  they  have  lest  they  be  vanquished,  the 
calling  and  prayer  for  continuance,  are  the 
undoubted  and  right  seeking  of  Christ  our 
champion.  We  refuse  not  the  weapon,  altho 
sometimes,  by  infirmity,  we  can  not  use  it  as 
we  would.  It  suffices  that  your  hearts  un- 
feignedly  sob  for  greater  strength,  for  con- 
tinuance, and  for  final  deliverance  by  Christ 
Jesus ;  that  which  is  wanting  in  us,  His  suffi- 
ciency doth  supply ;  for  it  is  He  that  fighteth 
and  overcometh  for  us.  But  for  bringing 
of  the  examples  of  the  Scriptures,  if  God  per- 
mit, in  the  end  we  shall  speak  more  largely 
when  it  shall  be  treated  why  Christ  permitted 
Himself  thus  to  be  tempted.  Sundry  impedi- 
ments now  call  me  from  writing  in  this  mat- 
ter, but,  by  God's  grace,  at  convenient  leisure 
I  purpose  to  finish,  and  to  send  it  to  you.  I 
grant  the  matter  that  proceeds  from  me  is 
not  worthy  of  your  pain  and  labor  to  read 
it;  yet,  seeing  it  is  a  testimony  of  my  good 
mind  toward  you,  I  doubt  not  but  you  will 
accept  it  in  good  part.  God,  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  grant  unto  you  to 

200 


KNOX 

find  favor  and  mercy  of  the  Judge,  whose 
eyes  and  knowledge  pierce  through  the  secret 
cogitations  of  the  heart,  in  the  day  of  tempta- 
tion, which  shall  come  upon  all  flesh,  accord- 
ing to  that  mercy  which  you  (illuminated  and 
directed  by  His  Holy  Spirit)  have  showed 
to  the  afflicted.  Now  the  God  of  all  comfort 
and  consolation  confirm  and  strengthen  you 
in  His  power  unto  the  end.  Amen. 


201 


CALVIN 
ENDURING  PERSECUTION  FOR   CHRIST 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTE 

JOHN  CALVIN  was  born  in  1509,  at 
Noyon,  France.  He  has  been  called  the 
greatest  of  Protestant  commentators  and 
theologians,  and  the  inspirer  of  the  Puri- 
tan exodus.  He  often  preached  every 
day  for  weeks  in  succession.  He  pos- 
sest  two  of  the  greatest  elements  in 
successful  pulpit  oratory,  self-reliance 
and  authority.  It  was  said  of  him,  as  it 
was  afterward  said  of  Webster,  that 
"every  word  weighed  a  pound."  His 
style  was  simple,  direct,  and  convincing. 
He  made  men  think.  His  splendid  con- 
tributions to  religious  thought,  and  his 
influence  upon  individual  liberty,  give  him 
a  distinguished  place  among  great  re- 
formers and  preachers.  His  idea  of 
preaching  is  thus  exprest  in  his  own 
words:  "True  preaching  must  not  be 
dead,  but  living  and  effective.  No  parade 
of  rhetoric,  but  the  Spirit  of  God  must 
resound  in  the  voice  in  order  to  operate 
with  power."  He  died  at  Geneva  in  1564. 


CALVIN 

1509—1564 
ENDURING    PERSECUTION    FOR   CHRIST 

Let  us  go  forth  therefore  unto  him  without  the  camp 
bearing  his  reproach. — Hebrews  xiii.,  13. 

ALL  the  exhortations  which  can  be  given 
us  to  suffer  patiently  for  the  name  of 
Jesus   Christ,   and  in   defense   of   the 
gospel,  will  have  no  effect  if  we  do  not  feel 
assured  of  the  cause  for  which  we  fight.    For 
when  we  are  called  to  part  with  life,  it  is  ab- 
solutely necessary  to  know  on  what  grounds. 
The  firmness  necessary  we  can  not  possess,  un- 
less it  be  founded  on  certainty  of  faith. 

It  is  true  that  persons  may  be  found  who 
will  foolishly  expose  themselves  to  death  in 
maintaining  some  absurd  opinions  and  dreams 
conceived  by  their  own  brain,  but  such  im- 
petuosity is  more  to  be  regarded  as  frenzy 
than  as  Christian  zeal;  and,  in  fact,  there  is 
neither  firmness  nor  sound  sense  in  those 
who  thus,  at  a  kind  of  haphazard,  cast  them- 
selves away.  But,  however  this  may  be,  it 
is  in  a  good  cause  only  that  God  can 
acknowledge  us  as  His  martyrs.  Death  is 
common  to  all,  and  the  children  of  God  are 

205 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

condemned  to  ignominy  and  tortures  as  crim- 
inals are;  but  God  makes  the  distinction  be- 
tween them,  inasmuch  as  He  can  not  deny  His 
truth.  On  our  part,  then,  it  is  requisite  that 
we  have  sure  and  infallible  evidence  of  the 
doctrine  which  we  maintain;  and  hence,  as 
I  have  said,  we  can  not  be  rationally  imprest 
by  any  exhortations  which  we  receive  to  suf- 
fer persecution  for  the  gospel,  if  no  true  cer- 
tainty of  faith  has  been  imprinted  in  our 
hearts.  For  to  hazard  our  life  upon  a  perad- 
venture  is  not  natural,  and  tho  we  were  to 
do  it,  it  would  only  be  rashness,  not  Chris- 
tian courage.  In  a  word,  nothing  that  we 
do  will  be  approved  of  God  if  we  are  not 
thoroughly  persuaded  that  it  is  for  Him  and 
His  cause  we  suffer  persecution,  and  the  world 
is  our  enemy. 

Now,  when  I  speak  of  such  persuasion,  I 
mean  not  merely  that  we  must  know  how  to 
distinguish  between  true  religion  and  the 
abuses  or  follies  of  men,  but  also  that  we  must 
be  thoroughly  persuaded  of  the  heavenly  life, 
and  the  crown  which  is  promised  us  above, 
after  we  shall  have  fought  here  below.  Let 
us  understand,  then,  that  both  of  these  requi- 
sites are  necessary,  and  can  not  be  separated 
from  each  other.  The  points,  accordingly, 
with  which  we  must  commence  are  these: 
We  must  know  well  what  our  Christianity 
is,  what  the  faith  which  we  have  to  hold  and 
follow,  what  the  rule  which  God  has  given 

206 


CALVIN 

us;  and  we  must  be  so  well  furnished  with 
such  instructions  as  to  be  able  boldly  to  con- 
demn all  the  falsehoods,  errors,  and  supersti- 
tions which  Satan  has  introduced  to  corrupt 
the  pure  simplicity  of  the  doctrine  of  God. 
Hence,  we  ought  not  to  be  surprized  that,  in 
the  present  day,  we  see  so  few  persons  dis- 
posed to  suffer  for  the  gospel,  and  that  the 
greater  part  of  those  who  call  themselves 
Christians  know  not  what  it  is.  For  all  are, 
as  it  were,  lukewarm ;  and  instead  of  making 
it  their  business  to  hear  or  read,  count  it 
enough  to  have  had  some  slight  taste.of  Chris- 
tian faith.  This  is  the  reason  why  there  is  so 
little  decision,  and  why  those  who  are  assailed 
immediately  fall  away.  This  fact  should 
stimulate  us  to  inquire  more  diligently  into 
divine  truth,  in  order  to  be  well  assured  with 
regard  to  it. 

Still,  however,  to  be  well  informed  and 
grounded  is  not  the  whole  that  is  neces- 
sary. For  we  see  some  who  seem  to  be  thor- 
oughly imbued  with  sound  doctrine,  and 
who,  notwithstanding,  have  no  more  zeal  or 
affection  than  if  they  had  never  known  any 
more  of  God  than  some  fleeting  fancy.  Why 
is  this?  Just  because  they  have  never  com- 
prehended the  majesty  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
And,  in  fact,  did  we,  such  as  we  are,  con- 
sider well  that  it  is  God  who  speaks  to  us, 
it  is  certain  that  we  would  listen  more  at- 
tentively, and  with  greater  reverence.  If  we 

207 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

would  think  that  in  reading  Scripture  we  are 
in  the  school  of  angels,  we  would  be  far  more 
careful  and  desirous  to  profit  by  the  doctrine 
which  is  propounded  to  us. 

We  now  see  the  true  method  of  preparing 
to  suffer  for  the  gospel.  First,  We  must 
have  profited  so  far  in  the  school  of  God  as 
to  be  decided  in  regard  to  true  religion  and 
the  doctrine  which  we  are  to  hold;  and  we 
must  despise  all  the  wiles  and  impostures  of 
Satan,  and  all  human  inventions,  as  things 
not  only  frivolous  but  also  carnal,  inasmuch 
as  they  corrupt  Christian  purity;  therein 
differing,  like  true  martyrs  of  Christ,  from 
the  fantastic  persons  who  suffer  for  mere 
absurdities.  Second,  Feeling  assured  of  the 
good  cause,  we  must  be  inflamed,  accordingly, 
to  follow  God  whithersoever  He  may  call  us: 
His  Word  must  have  such  authority  with  us 
as  it  deserves,  and  having  withdrawn  from 
this  world,  we  must  feel  as  it  were  enraptured 
in  seeking  the  heavenly  life. 

But  it  is  more  than  strange  that,tho  the  light 
of  God  is  shining  more  brightly  than  it  ever 
did  before,  there  is  a  lamentable  want  of 
zeal!  If  the  thought  does  not  fill  us  with 
shame,  so  much  the  worse.  For  we  must 
shortly  come  before  the  great  Judge,  where 
the  iniquity  which  we  endeavor  to  hide  will 
be  brought  forward  with  such  upbraidings 
that  we  shall  be  utterly  confounded.  For, 
if  we  are  obliged  to  bear  testimony  to  God, 

208 


CALVIN 

according  to  the  measure  of  the  knowledge 
which  He  has  given  us,  to  what  is  it  owing, 
I  would  ask,  that  we  are  so  cold  and  timor- 
ous in  entering  into  battle,  seeing  that  God 
has  so  fully  manifested  Himself  at  this  time 
that  He  may  be  said  to  have  opened  to  us 
and  displayed  before  us  the  great  treasures 
of  His  secrets?  May  it  not  be  said  that  we 
do  not  think  we  have  to  do  with  God?  For 
had  we  any  regard  to  His  Majesty  we  would 
not  dare  to  turn  the  doctrine  which  proceeds 
from  Him  into  some  kind  of  philosophic  specu- 
lation. In  short,  it  is  impossible  to  deny  that 
it  is  our  great  shame,  not  to  say  fearful  con- 
demnation, that  we  have  so  well  known  the 
truth  of  God,  and  have  so  little  courage  to 
maintain  it! 

Above  all,  when  we  look  to  the  martyrs  of 
past  times,  well  may  we  detest  our  own 
cowardice!  The  greater  part  of  those  were 
not  persons  much  versed  in  Holy  Scripture, 
so  as  to  be  able  to  dispute  on  all  subjects. 
They  knew  that  there  was  one  God,  whom 
they  behooved  to  worship  and  serve — that 
they  had  been  redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ,  in  order  that  they  might  place  their 
confidence  of  salvation  in  Him  and  in  His 
grace — and  that,  all  the  inventions  of  men 
being  mere  dross  and  rubbish,  they  ought  to 
condemn  all  idolatries  and  superstitions.  In 
one  word,  their  theology  was  in  substance 
this — There  is  one  God  who  created  all  the 

1—14  209 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

world,  and  declared  His  will  to  us  by  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  and  finally  by  Jesus  Christ 
and  His  apostles;  and  we  have  one  sole  Re- 
deemer, who  purchased  us  by  His  blood,  and 
by  whose  grace  we  hope  to  be  saved :  All  the 
idols  of  the  world  are  curst,  and  deserve 
execration. 

With  a  system  embracing  no  other  points 
than  these,  they  went  boldly  to  the  flames, 
or  to  any  other  kind  of  death.  They  did  not 
go  in  twos  or  threes,  but  in  such  bands  that 
the  number  of  those  who  fell  by  the  hands  of 
tyrants  is  almost  infinite!  We,  on  our  part, 
are  such  learned  clerks  that  none  can  be  more 
so  (so  at  least  we  think),  and,  in  fact,  so  far 
as  regards  the  knowledge  of  Scripture,  God 
has  so  spread  it  out  before  us  that  no  former 
age  was  ever  so  highly  favored.  Still,  after 
all,  there  is  scarcely  a  particle  of  zeal.  When 
men  manifest  such  indifference,  it  looks  as 
if  they  were  bent  on  provoking  the  vengeance 
of  God. 

What  then  should  be  done  in  order  to  inspire 
our  breasts  with  true  courage?  We  have,  in 
the  first  place,  to  consider  how  precious  the 
confession  of  our  faith  is  in  the  sight  of  God. 
We  little  know  how  much  God  prizes  it,  if 
our  life,  which  is  nothing,  is  valued  by  us  more 
highly.  When  it  is  so,  we  manifest  a  mar- 
velous degree  of  stupidity.  We  can  not  save 
our  life  at  the  expense  of  our  confession  with 
out  acknowledging  that  we  hold  it  in  higher 

210 


CALVIN 

estimation  than  the  honor  of  God  and  the  sal- 
vation of  our  souls. 

A  heathen  could  say  that  "It  was  a  misera- 
able  thing  to  save  life  by  giving  up  the  only 
things  which  made  life  desirable!"  And  yet 
he  and  others  like  him  never  knew  for  what 
end  men  are  placed  in  the  world,  and  why 
they  live  in  it.  It  is  true  they  knew  enough 
to  say  that  men  ought  to  follow  virtue,  to  con- 
duct themselves  honestly  and  without  re- 
proach; but  all  their  virtues  were  mere  paint 
and  smoke.  We  know  far  better  what  the 
chief  aim  of  life  should  be,  namely,  to  glorify 
God,  in  order  that  He  may  be  our  glory.  When 
this  is  not  done,  wo  to  us!  And  we  can  not 
continue  to  live  for  a  single  moment  upon  the 
earth  without  heaping  additional  curses  on 
our  heads.  Still  we  are  not  ashamed  to  pur- 
chase some  few  days  to  languish  here  below, 
renouncing  eternal  kingdom  by  separating 
ourselves  from  Him  by  whose  energy  we  are 
sustained  in  life. 

Were  we  to  ask  the  most  ignorant,  not  to 
say  the  most  brutish,  persons  in  the  world 
why  they  live,  they  would  not  venture  to 
answer  simply  that  it  is  to  eat,  and  drink, 
and  sleep;  for  all  know  that  they  have  been 
created  for  a  higher  and  holier  end.  And 
what  end  can  we  find  if  it  be  not  to  honor 
God,  and  allow  ourselves  to  be  governed  by 
Him,  like  children  by  good  parents;  so  that 
after  we  have  finished  the  journey  of  this 

211 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

corruptible  life,  we  may  be  received  into  His 
eternal  inheritance?  Such  is  the  principal, 
indeed  the  sole  end.  "When  we  do  not  take  it 
into  account,  and  are  intent  on  a  brutish  life, 
which  is  worse  than  a  thousand  deaths,  what 
can  we  allege  for  our  excuse?  To  live  and 
not  know  why  is  unnatural.  To  reject  the 
causes  for  which  we  live,  under  the  influence 
of  a  foolish  longing  for  a  respite  of  some  few 
days,  during  which  we  are  to  live  in  the  world, 
while  separated  from  God — I  know  not  how 
to  name  such  infatuation  and  madness ! 

But  as  persecution  is  always  harsh  and  bit- 
ter, let  us  consider  how  and  by  what  means 
Christians  may  be  able  to  fortify  themselves 
with  patience,  so  as  unflinchingly  to  expose 
their  life  for  the  truth  of  God.  The  text 
which  we  have  read  out,  when  it  is  properly 
understood,  is  sufficient  to  induce  us  to  do  so. 
The  apostle  says,  Let  us  go  forth  from  the 
city  after  the  Lord  Jesus,  bearing  His  re- 
proach. In  the  first  place,  he  reminds  us, 
altho  the  swords  should  not  be  drawn  against 
us  nor  the  fires  kindled  to  burn  us,  that  we 
can  not  be  truly  united  to  the  Son  of  God 
while  we  are  rooted  in  this  world.  Where- 
fore a  Christian,  even  in  repose,  must  always 
have  one  foot  lifted  to  march  to  battle,  and 
not  only  so,  but  he  must  have  his  affections 
withdrawn  from  the  world,  altho  his  body  is 
dwelling  in  it.  Grant  that  this  at  first  sight 
seems  to  us  hard,  still  we  must  be  satisfied 

212 


CALVIN 

with  the  words  of  St.  Paul  (I  Thess.  iii.), 
that  we  are  called  and  appointed  to  suffer. 
As  if  He  had  said,  Such  is  our  condition  as 
Christians ;  this  is  the  road  by  which  we  must 
go  if  we  would  follow  Christ. 

Meanwhile,  to  solace  our  infirmity  and  miti- 
gate the  vexation  and  sorrow  which  persecu- 
tion might  cause  us,  a  good  reward  is  held 
forth :  In  suffering  for  the  cause  of  God,  we 
are  walking  step  by  step  after  the  Son  of  God, 
and  have  Him  for  our  guide.  Were  it  simply 
said  that  to  be  Christians  we  must  pass 
through  all  the  insults  of  the  world  boldly, 
to  meet  death  at  all  times  and  in  whatever 
way  God  may  be  pleased  to  appoint,  we  might 
apparently  have  some  pretext  for  replying 
that  it  is  a  strange  road  to  go  at  peradventure. 
But  when  we  are  commanded  to  follow  the 
Lord  Jesus,  His  guidance  is  too  good  and  hon- 
orable to  be  refused.  Now,  in  order  that  we 
may  be  more  deeply  moved,  not  only  is  it 
said  that  Jesus  Christ  walks  before  us  as  our 
Captain,  but  that  we  are  made  conformable  to 
His  image;  so  St.  Paul  says  in  the  eighth 
chapter  to  the  Romans  that  God  hath  ordained 
all  those  whom  He  hath  adopted  for  His 
children,  to  be  made  conformable  to  Him  who 
is  the  pattern  and  head  of  all. 

Are  we  so  delicate  as  to  be  unwilling  to  en- 
dure anything?  Then  we  must  renounce  the 
grace  of  God  by  which  He  has  called  us  to 
the  hope  of  salvation.  For  there  are  two 

213 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    SERMONS 

things  which  can  not  be  separated — to  be 
members  of  Christ,  and  to  be  tried  by  many 
afflictions.  We  certainly  ought  to  prize  such 
a  conformity  to  the  Son  of  God  much  more 
than  we  do.  It  is  true,  that  in  the  world's 
judgment  there  is  disgrace  in  suffering  for  the 
gospel.  But  since  we  know  that  believers  are 
blind,  ought  we  not  to  have  better  eyes  than 
they?  It  is  ignominy  to  suffer  from  those 
who  occupy  the  seat  of  justice,  but  St.  Paul 
shows  us  by  his  example  that  we  have  to 
glory  in  scourings  for  Jesus  Christ,  as  marks 
by  which  God  recognizes  us  and  avows  us 
for  His  own.  And  we  know  what  St.  Luke 
narrates  of  Peter  and  John  (Acts  v.,  41)  ; 
namely,  that  they  rejoiced  to  have  been 
counted  worthy  to  suffer  infamy  and  reproach 
for  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus. 

Ignominy  and  dignity  are  two  opposites: 
so  says  the  world,  which,  being  infatuated, 
judges  against  all  reason,  and  in  this  way  con- 
verts the  glory  of  God  into  dishonor.  But, 
on  our  part,  let  us  not  refuse  to  be  vilified 
as  concerns  the  world,  in  order  to  be  honored 
before  God  and  His  angels.  We  see  what 
pains  the  ambitious  take  to  receive  the  com- 
mands of  a  king,  and  what  a  boast  they  make 
of  it.  The  Son  of  God  presents  His  commands 
to  us,  and  every  one  stands  back.  Tell  me, 
pray,  whether  in  so  doing  are  we  worthy  of 
having  anything  in  common  with  Him? 
there  is  nothing  here  to  attract  our  sensual 

214 


CALVIN 

nature,  but  such  notwithstanding  are  the  true 
escutcheons  of  nobility  in  the  heavens.  Im- 
prisonment, exile,  evil  report,  imply  in  men's 
imagination  whatever  is  to  be  vituperated; 
but  what  hinders  us  from  viewing  things  as 
God  judges  and  declares  them,  save  our  un- 
belief? Wherefore,  let  the  name  of  the  Son 
of  God  have  all  the  weight  with  us  which  it 
deserves,  that  we  may  learn  to  count  it  honor 
when  He  stamps  His  marks  upon  us.  If  we 
act  otherwise  our  ingratitude  is  insupportable. 

Were  God  to  deal  with  us  according  to  our 
desserts,  would  He  not  have  just  cause  to 
chastise  us  daily  in  a  thousand  ways?  Nay 
more,  a  hundred  thousand  deaths  would  not 
suffice  for  a  small  portion  of  our  misdeeds! 
Now,  if  in  His  infinite  goodness  He  puts  all 
our  faults  under  His  foot  and  abolishes  them, 
and  instead  of  punishing  us  according  to 
our  demerit,  devises  an  admirable  means  to 
convert  our  afflictions  into  honor  and  a  special 
privilege,  inasmuch  as  through  them  we  are 
taken  into  partnership  with  His  Son,  must 
it  not  be  said,  when  we  disdain  such  a  happy 
state,  that  we  have  indeed  made  little  progress 
in  Christian  doctrine? 

Accordingly,  St.  Peter,  after  exhorting  us 
(I  Peter  iv.,  15)  to  walk  so  purely  in  the  fear 
of  God,  as  not  to  suffer  as  thieves,  adulterers, 
and  murderers,  immediately  adds,  that  if  we 
must  suffer  as  Christians,  let  us  glorify  God 
for  the  blessing  which  He  thus  bestows  upon 

215 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

us.  It  is  not  without  cause  he  speaks  thus. 
For  who  are  we,  I  pray,  to  be  witnesses  of  the 
truth  of  God,  and  advocates  to  maintain  His 
cause  ?  Here  we  are  poor  worms  of  the  earth, 
creatures  full  of  vanity,  full  of  lies,  and  yet 
God  employs  us  to  defend  His  truth — an 
honor  which  pertains  not  even  to  the  angels 
of  heaven !  May  not  this  consideration  alone 
well  inflame  us  to  offer  ourselves  to  God  to  be 
employed  in  any  way  in  such  honorable  serv- 
ice? 

Many  persons,  however,  can  not  refrain 
from  pleading  against  God,  or,  at  least,  from 
complaining  against  Him  for  not  better  sup- 
porting their  weakness.  It  is  marvelously 
strange,  they  say,  how  God,  after  having 
chosen  us  for  His  children,  allows  us  to  be 
trampled  upon  and  tormented  by  the  ungodly. 
I  answer :  Even  were  it  not  apparent  why  He 
does  so,  He  might  well  exercise  His  authority 
over  us,  and  fix  our  lot  at  His  pleasure.  But 
when  we  see  that  Jesus  Christ  is  our  pattern, 
ought  we  not,  without  inquiring  further,  to 
esteem  it  great  happiness  that  we  are  made 
like  Him?  God,  however,  makes  it  very  ap- 
parent what  the  reasons  are  for  which  He  is 
pleased  that  we  should  be  persecuted.  Had 
we  nothing  more  than  the  consideration  sug- 
gested by  St.  Peter  (I  Peter  i.,  7),  we  were 
disdainful  indeed  not  to  acquiesce  in  it.  He 
says  that  since  gold  and  silver,  which  are  only 
corruptible  metals,  are  purified  and  tested  by 

216 


CALVIN 

fire,  it  is  but  reasonable  that  our  faith,  which 
surpasses  all  the  riches  of  the  world,  should 
be  so  tried. 

It  were  easy  indeed  for  God  to  crown  us 
at  once  without  requiring  us  to  sustain  any 
combats;  but  as  it  is  His  pleasure  that  until 
the  end  of  the  world  Christ  shall  reign  in 
the  midst  of  His  enemies,  so  it  is  also  His 
pleasure  that  we,  being  placed  in  the  midst  of 
them,  shall  suffer  their  oppression  and  vi- 
olence till  He  deliver  us.  I  know,  indeed, 
that  the  flesh  rebels  when  it  is  to  be  brought 
to  this  point,  but  still  the  will  of  God  must 
have  the  mastery.  If  we  feel  some  repugnance 
in  ourselves,  it  need  not  surprize  us ;  for  it  is 
only  too  natural  for  us  to  shun  the  cross.  Still 
let  us  not  fail  to  surmount  it,  knowing  that 
God  accepts  our  obedience,  provided  we  bring 
all  our  feelings  and  wishes  into  captivity, 
and  make  them  subject  to  Him. 

When  prophets  and  apostles  went  to  death, 
it  was  not  without  feeling  some  inclination 
to  recoil.  ' '  They  shall  carry  thee  whither  thou 
wouldst  not,"  said  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to 
Peter.  (John  xxi.,  18.  When  such  fears  of 
death  arise  within  us,  let  us  gain  the  mastery 
over  them,  or  rather  let  God  gain  it;  and 
meanwhile,  let  us  feel  assured  that  we  offer 
Him  a  pleasing  sacrifice  when  we  resist  and 
do  violence  to  our  inclinations  for  the  purpose 
of  placing  ourselves  entirely  under  His  com- 
mand: This  is  the  principle  war  in  which 

217 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

God  would  have  His  people  to  be  engaged. 
He  would  have  them  strive  to  suppress  every 
rebellious  thought  and  feeling  which  would 
turn  them  aside  from  the  path  to  which  He 
points.  And  the  consolations  are  so  ample 
that  it  may  well  be  said,  we  are  more  than 
cowards  if  we  give  away ! 

In  ancient  times  vast  numbers  of  people, 
to  obtain  a  simple  crown  of  leaves,  refused  no 
toil,  no  pain,  no  trouble ;  nay,  it  even  cost  them 
nothing  to  die,  and  yet  every  one  of  them 
fought  for  a  peradventure,  not  knowing  wheth- 
er he  was  to  gain  or  to  lose  the  prize.  God 
holds  forth  to  us  the  immortal  crown  by  which 
we  may  become  partakers  of  His  glory:  He 
does  not  mean  us  to  fight  at  haphazard,  but 
all  of  us  have  a  promise  of  the  prize  for 
which  we  strive.  Have  we  any  cause  then  to 
decline  the  struggle  ?  Do  we  think  it  has  been 
said  in  vain  that  if  we  die  with  Jesus  Christ 
we  shall  also  live  with  Him  ?  Our  triumph  is 
prepared,  and  yet  we  do  all  we  can  to  shun 
the  combat. 

But  it  is  said  that  all  we  teach  on  this  sub- 
ject is  repugnant  to  human  judgment.  I  con- 
fess it.  And  hence  when  our  Savior  declares, 
"Blest  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for 
righteousness'  sake"  (Matt,  v.,  10),  He  gives 
utterance  to  a  sentiment  which  is  not  easily 
received  in  the  world.  On  the  contrary,  He 
wishes  to  account  that  as  happiness  which  in 
the  judgment  of  sense  is  misery.  We  seem  to 

218 


CALVIN 

ourselves  miserable  when  God  leaves  us  to  be 
trampled  upon  by  the  tyranny  and  cruelty 
of  our  enemies ;  but  the  error  is  that  we  look 
not  to  the  promises  of  God,  which  assure  us 
that  all  will  turn  to  our  good.  We  are  cast 
down  when  we  see  the  wicked  stronger  than 
we,  and  planting  their  foot  on  our  throat; 
but  such  confusion  should  rather,  as  St.  Paul 
says,  cause  us  to  lift  up  our  heads.  Seeing 
we  are  too  much  disposed  to  amuse  ourselves 
with  present  objects,  God  in  permitting  the 
good  to  be  maltreated,  and  the  wicked  to 
have  sway,  shows  by  evident  tokens  that  a  day 
is  coming  on  which  all  that  is  now  in  con- 
fusion will  be  reduced  to  order.  If  the  period 
seems  distant,  let  us  run  to  the  remedy,  and 
not  flatter  ourselves  in  our  sin;  for  it  is  cer- 
tain that  we  have  no  faith  if  we  can  not  carry 
our  views  forward  to  the  coming  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

To  leave  no  means  which  may  be  fitted  to 
stimulate  us  unemployed,  God  sets  before  us 
promises  on  the  one  hand  and  threatenings 
on  the  other.  Do  we  feel  that  the  promises 
have  not  sufficient  influence,  let  us  strengthen 
them  by  adding  the  threatenings.  It  is  true 
we  must  be  perverse  in  the  extreme  not  to  put 
more  faith  in  the  promises  of  God,  when  the 
Lord  Jesus  says  that  He  will  own  us  as  His. 
before  His  Father,  provided  we  confess  Him 
before  men.  (Matt,  x.,  32;  Luke  xii.,  8.) 
What  should  prevent  us  from  making  the 

219 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

confession  which  He  requires?  Let  men  do 
their  utmost,  they  can  not  do  worse  than 
murder  us!  and  will  not  the  heavenly  life 
compensate  for  this?  I  do  not  here  collect 
all  the  passages  in  Scripture  which  bear  on 
this  subject:  they  are  so  often  reiterated  that 
we  ought  to  be  thoroughly  satisfied  with  them. 
When  the  struggle  comes,  if  three  or  four  pas- 
sages do  not  suffice,  a  hundred  surely  ought 
to  make  us  proof  against  all  contrary  temp- 
tations. 

But  if  God  can  not  will  us  to  Himself  by 
gentle  means,  must  we  not  be  mere  blocks  if 
His  threatenings  also  fail  ?  Jesus  Christ  sum- 
mons all  those  who  from  fear  of  temporal 
death  shall  have  denied  the  truth,  to  appear  at 
the  bar  of  God  his  Father,  and  says,  that 
then  both  body  and  soul  will  be  consigned  to 
perdition.  (Matt,  x.,  28;  Luke  xii.,  5.)  And 
in  another  passage  He  says  that  He  will  dis- 
claim all  those  who  shall  have  denied  Him  be- 
fore men.  (Matt,  x.,  33 ;  Luke  xii.,  10.)  These 
words,  if  we  are  not  altogether  impervious  to 
feeling,  might  well  make  our  hair  stand  on 
end.  Be  this  as  it  may,  this  much  is  certain ; 
if  these  things  do  not  move  us  as  they  ought, 
nothing  remains  for  us  but  a  fearful  judg- 
ment. (Heb.  x.,  27.)  All  the  words  of  Christ 
having  proved  unavailing,  we  stand  convinced 
of  gross  infidelity. 

It  is  in  vain  for  us  to  allege  that  pity  should 
be  shown  us,  inasmuch  as  our  nature  is  so 

220 


CALVIN 

frail;  for  it  is  said,  on  the  contrary,  that 
Moses,  having  looked  to  God  by  faith,  was 
fortified  so  as  not  to  yield  under  any  tempta- 
tion. Wherefore,  when  we  are  thus  soft  and 
easy  to  bend,  it  is  a  manifest  sign,  I  do  not 
say  that  we  have  no  zeal,  no  firmness,  but  that 
we  know  nothing  either  of  God  or  His  king- 
dom. "When  we  are  reminded  that  we  ought 
to  be  united  to  our  Head,  it  seems  to  us  a  fine 
pretext  for  exemption  to  say  that  we  are 
men.  But  what  were  those  who  have  trodden 
the  path  before  us?  Indeed,  had  we  nothing 
more  than  pure  doctrine,  all  the  excuses  we 
could  make  would  be  frivolous;  but  having 
so  many  examples  which  ought  to  supply  us 
with  the  strongest  proof,  the  more  deserving 
are  we  of  condemnation. 

There  are  two  points  to  be  considered. 
The  first  is,  that  the  whole  body  of  the  Church 
in  general  has  always  been,  and  to  the  end 
will  be,  liable  to  be  afflicted  by  the  wicked, 
as  is  said  in  the  Psalms  (Psalms  cxxix.,  1), 
"From  my  youth  up  they  have  tormented  me, 
and  dragged  the  plow  over  me  from  one 
end  to  the  other."  The  Holy  Spirit  there 
brings  in  the  ancient  Church,  in  order  that 
we,  after  being  much  acquainted  with  her 
afflictions,  may  not  regard  it  as  either  new  or 
vexatious  when  the  like  is  done  to  ourselves 
in  the  present  day.  St.  Paul,  also,  in  quoting 
from  another  Psalm  (Rom.  vii.,  36;  Psalm 
xliv.,  22),  a  passage  which  says,  "We  have 

221 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

been  led  like  sheep  to  the  slaughter";  shows 
that  that  has  not  been  for  one  age  only,  but 
is  the  ordinary  condition  of  the  Church,  and 
shall  be. 

Therefore,  on  seeing  how  the  Church  of 
God  is  trampled  upon  in  the  present  day  by 
proud  worldlings,  how  one  barks  and  another 
bites,  how  they  tortue,  how  they  plot  against 
her,  how  she  is  assailed  incessantly  by  mad 
dogs  and  savage  beasts,  let  it  remind  us  that 
the  same  thing  was  done  in  all  the  olden  time. 
It  is  true  God  sometimes  gives  her  a  truce  and 
time  of  refreshment,  and  hence  in  the  Psalm 
above  quoted  it  is  said,  "He  cutteth  the  cords 
of  the  wicked ' ' ;  and  in  another  passage 
(Psalm  cxxv.,  3),  "He  breaks  their  staff,  lest 
the  good  should  fall  away,  by  being  too  hardly 
pressed."  But  still  it  has  pleased  Him  that 
His  Church  should  always  have  to  battle  so 
long  as  she  is  in  this  world,  her  repose  being 
treasured  up  on  high  in  the  heavens.  (Heb. 
iii.,  9.) 

Meanwhile,  the  issue  of  her  afflictions  has 
always  been  fortunate.  At  all  events,  God 
has  caused  that  tho  she  has  been  prest 
by  many  calamities,  she  has  never  been  com- 
pletely crusht;  as  it  is  said  (Psalm  vii.,  15), 
"The  wicked  with  all  their  efforts  have  not 
succeeded  in  that  at  which  they  aimed. ' '  St. 
Paul  glories  in  the  fact,  and  shows  that  this 
is  the  course  which  God  in  mercy  always  takes. 
He  says  (I  Cor.  iv.,  12)  that  we  endure  tribu- 

222 


CALVIN 

lations,  but  we  are  not  in  agony;  we  are  im- 
poverished, but  not  left  destitute;  we  are 
persecuted,  but  not  forsaken;  cast  down,  but 
we  perish  not ;  bearing  everywhere  in  our  body 
the  mortification  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  in  order 
that  His  life  may  be  manifested  in  our  mortal 
bodies.  Such  being,  as  we  see,  the  issue  which 
God  has  at  all  times  given  to  the  persecu- 
tions of  His  Church,  we  ought  to  take  cour- 
age, knowing  that  our  forefathers,  who  were 
frail  men  like  ourselves,  always  had  the  vic- 
tory over  their  enemies  by  remaining  firm 
in  endurance. 

I  only  touch  upon  this  article  briefly  to 
come  to  the  second,  which  is  more  to  our  pur- 
pose, viz.,  that  we  ought  to  take  advantage  of 
the  particular  examples  of  the  martyrs  who 
have  gone  before  us.  These  are  not  confined 
to  two  or  three,  but  are,  as  the  apostle  says 
( Heb.  xii.,  1) , "  So  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses. ' ' 
By  this  expression  he  intimates  that  the  num- 
ber is  so  great  that  it  ought,  as  it  were,  com- 
pletely to  engross  our  sight.  Not  to  be  tedi- 
ous, I  will  only  mention  the  Jews,  who  were 
persecuted  for  the  true  religion,  as  well 
under  the  tyranny  of  King  Antiochus  as  a 
little  after  his  death.  We  can  not  allege  that 
the  number  of  sufferers  was  small,  for  it 
formed,  as  it  were,  a  large  army  of  martyrs. 
We  can  not  say  that  it  consisted  of  prophets 
whom  God  had  set  apart  from  common  peo- 
ple, for  women  and  young  children  formed 

223 


THE    WORLD'S    GREAT    SERMONS 

part  of  the  band.  We  can  not  say  that  they 
got  off  at  a  cheap  rate,  for  they  were  tortured 
as  cruelly  as  it  was  possible  to  be.  Accord- 
ingly, we  hear  what  the  apostle  says  (Heb. 
xi.,  35),  that  some  were  stretched  out  like 
drums,  not  caring  to  be  delivered,  that  they 
might  obtain  a  better  resurrection;  others 
were  proved  by  mockery  and  blows,  or  bonds 
and  prisons;  others  were  stoned  or  sawn  as- 
under; others  traveled  up  and  down,  wander- 
ing among  mountains  and  caves. 

Let  us  now  compare  their  case  with  ours. 
If  they  so  endured  for  the  truth  which  was 
at  that  time  so  obscure,  what  ought  we  to  do 
in  the  clear  light  which  is  now  shining  ?  God 
speaks  to  us  with  open  mouth ;  the  great  gate 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  has  been  opened, 
and  Jesus  Christ  calls  us  to  Himself,  after 
having  come  down  to  us  that  we  might  have 
him,  as  it  were,  present  to  our  eyes.  What  a 
reproach  would  it  be  to  us  to  have  less  zeal 
in  suffering  for  the  gospel  than  those  who 
had  only  hailed  the  promises  afar  off — who 
had  only  a  little  wicket  opened  whereby  to 
come  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  who  had 
only  some  memorial  and  type  of  Jesus  Christ  ? 
These  things  can  not  be  exprest  in  a  word, 
as  they  deserve,  and  therefore  I  leave  each  to 
ponder  them  for  himself. 

The  doctrine  now  laid  down,  as  it  is  general, 
ought  to  be  carried  into  practise  by  all  Chris- 
tians, each  applying  it  to  his  own  use  accord- 

224 


CALVIN 

ing  as  may  be  necessary.  This  I  say,  in  order 
that  those  who  do  not  see  themselves  in  ap- 
parent danger  may  not  think  it  superfluous 
as  regards  them.  They  are  not  at  this  hour 
in  the  hands  of  tyrants,  but  how  do  they 
know  what  God  means  to  do  with  them  here- 
after? We  ought  therefore  to  be  so  fore- 
armed that  if  some  persecution  which  we  did 
not  expect  arrives,  we  may  not  be  taken  una- 
wares. But  I  much  fear  that  there  are  many 
deaf  ears  in  regard  to  this  subject.  So  far 
are  those  who  are  sheltered  and  at  their  ease 
from  preparing  to  suffer  death  when  need 
shall  be  that  they  do  not  even  trouble  them- 
selves about  serving  God  in  their  lives.  It 
nevertheless  continues  true  that  this  prepara- 
tion for  persecution  ought  to  be  our  ordi- 
nary study,  and  especially  in  the  times  in 
which  we  live. 

Those,  again,  whom  God  calls  to  suffer  for 
the  testimony  of  His  name  ought  to  show 
by  deeds  that  they  have  been  thoroughly 
trained  to  patient  endurance.  Then  ought 
they  to  recall  to  mind  all  the  exhortations 
which  were  given  them  in  times  past,  and 
bestir  themselves  just  as  the  soldier  rushes  to 
arms  when  the  tempest  sounds.  But  how  dif- 
ferent is  the  result.  The  only  question  is 
how  to  find  out  subterfuges  for  escaping.  I 
say  this  in  regard  to  the  greater  part;  for 
persecution  is  a  true  touchstone  by  which 
God  ascertains  who  are  His.  And  few  are  so 

1—15  225 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

faithful  as  to  be  prepared  to  meet  death 
boldly. 

It  is  a  kind  of  monstrous  thing,  that  per- 
sons who  make  a  boast  of  having  a  little  of 
the  gospel,  can  venture  to  open  their  lips  to 
give  utterance  to  such  quibbling.  Some  will 
say,  What  do  we  gain  by  confessing  our  faith 
to  obstinate  people  who  have  deliberately  re- 
solved to  fight  against  God?  Is  not  this  to 
cast  pearls  before  swine?  As  if  Jesus  Christ 
had  not  distinctly  declared  (Matt,  viii.,  38) 
that  He  wishes  to  be  confest  among  the 
perverse  and  malignant.  If  they  are  not  in- 
structed thereby,  they  will  at  all  events  re- 
main confounded;  and  hence  confession  is  an 
odor  of  a  sweet  smell  before  God,  even  tho  it 
be  deadly  to  the  reprobate.  There  are  some 
who  say,  What  will  our  death  profit  ?  Will  it 
not  rather  prove  an  offense  ?  As  if  God  hath 
left  them  the  choice  of  dying  when  they  should 
see  it  good  and  find  the  occasion  opportune. 
On  the  contrary,  we  approve  our  obedience 
by  leaving  in  His  hand  the  profit  which  is  to 
accrue  from  our  death. 

In  the  first  place,  then,  the  Christian  man, 
wherever  he  may  be,  must  resolve,  notwith- 
standing dangers  or  threatings,  to  walk 
in  simplicity  as  God  has  commanded.  Let 
him  guard  as  much  as  he  can  against  the 
ravening  of  the  wolves,  but  let  it  not  be  with 
carnal  craftiness.  Above  all,  let  him  place 
his  life  in  the  hands  of  God.  Has  he  done  so  ? 

226 


CALVIN 

Then  if  he  happens  to  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy,  let  him  think  that  God,  having  so 
arranged,  is  pleased  to  have  him  for  one  of 
the  witnesses  of  His  Son,  and  therefore  that 
he  has  no  means  of  drawing  back  without 
breaking  faith  with  Him  to  whom  we  have 
promised  all  duty  in  life  and  in  death — Him 
whose  we  are  and  to  whom  we  belong,  even 
though  we  should  have  made  no  promise. 

In  saying  this  I  do  not  lay  all  under  the 
necessity  of  making  a  full  and  entire  con- 
fession of  everything  which  they  believe,  even 
should  they  be  required  to  do  so.  I  am  aware 
also  of  the  measure  observed  by  St.  Paul,  al- 
tho  no  man  was  ever  more  determined  boldly 
to  maintain  the  cause  of  the  gospel  as  he 
ought.  And  hence  it  is  not  without  cause  our 
Lord  promises  to  give  us,  on  such  an  occasion, 
"a  mouth  and  wisdom"  (Luke  xxi.,  15)  ;  as  if 
he  had  said,  that  the  office  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  not  only  to  strengthen  us  to  be  bold  and 
valiant,  but  also  to  give  us  prudence  and  dis- 
cretion, to  guide  us  in  the  course  which  it 
will  be  expedient  to  take. 

The  substance  of  the  whole  is,  that  those 
who  are  in  such  distress  are  to  ask  and  obtain 
such  prudence  from  above,  not  following  their 
own  carnal  wisdom,  in  searching  out  for  a 
kind  of  loop-hole  by  which  to  escape.  There 
are  some  who  tell  us  that  our  Lord  Himself 
gave  no  answer  to  those  who  interrogated 
Him.  But  I  rejoin,  First,  That  this  does  not 

227 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

abolish  the  rule  which  He  has  given  us  to 
make  confession  of  our  faith  when  so  re- 
quired. (I  Peter  iii.,  15.)  Secondly,  That  He 
never  used  any  disguise  to  save  His  life :  and, 
Thirdly,  That  He  never  gave  an  answer  so 
ambiguous  as  not  to  embody  a  sufficient  testi- 
mony to  all  that  He  had  to  say;  and  that, 
moreover,  He  had  already  satisfied  those  who 
came  to  interrogate  Him  anew,  with  the  view 
not  obtaining  information,  but  merely  of  lay- 
ing traps  to  ensnare  Him. 

Let  it  be  held,  then,  as  a  fixed  point  among 
all  Christians,  that  they  ought  not  to  hold 
their  life  more  precious  than  the  testimony  to 
the  truth,  inasmuch  as  God  wishes  to  be  glori- 
fied thereby.  Is  it  in  vain  that  He  gives  the 
name  of  witnesses  (for  this  is  the  meaning  of 
the  word  martyr)  to  all  who  have  to  answer 
before  the  enemies  of  the  faith?  Is  it  not 
because  He  wished  to  employ  them  for 
such  a  purpose?  Here  every  one  is  not 
to  look  for  his  fellow,  for  God  does  not  honor 
all  alike  with  the  call.  And  as  we  are 
inclined  so  to  look,  we  must  be  the  more  on 
our  guard  against  it.  Peter  having  heard 
from  the  lips  of  our  Lord  Jesus  (John  xxi., 
18)  that  he  should  be  led  in  his  old  age  where 
he  would  not,  asked,  What  was  to  become  of 
his  companion  John?  There  is  not  one 
among  us  who  would  not  readily  have  put 
the  same  question;  for  the  thought  which  in- 
stantly rises  in  our  mind  is,  Why  do  I  suffer 

228 


CALVIN 

rather  than  others?  On  the  contrary,  Jesus 
Christ  exhorts  all  of  us  in  common,  and  each 
of  us  in  particular,  to  hold  ourselves  ' '  ready, ' ' 
in  order  that  according  as  He  shall  call  this 
one  or  that  one,  we  may  march  forth  in  our 
turn. 

I  explained  above  how  little  prepared  we 
shall  be  to  suffer  martyrdom,  if  we  be  not 
armed  with  the  divine  promises.  It  now  re- 
mains to  show  somewhat  more  fully  what  the 
purport  and  aim  of  these  promises  are — not  to 
specify  them  all  in  detail,  but  to  show  the 
principal  things  which  God  wishes  us  to  hope 
from  Him,  to  console  us  in  our  afflictions. 
Now  these  things,  taken  summarily,  are  three. 
The  first  is,  that  inasmuch  as  our  life  and 
death  are  in  His  hand,  He  will  preserve  us 
by  His  might  that  not  a  hair  will  be  plucked 
out  of  our  heads  without  His  leave.  Believers, 
therefore,  ought  to  feel  assured  into  whatever 
hands  they  may  fall,  that  God  is  not  divested 
of  the  guardianship  which  He  exercises  over 
their  persons.  Were  such  a  persuasion  well 
imprinted  on  our  hearts,  we  should  be  de- 
livered from  the  greater  part  of  the  doubts 
and  perplexities  which  torment  us  and  ob- 
struct us  in  our  duty. 

We  see  tyrants  let  loose :  thereupon  it  seems 
to  us  that  God  no  longer  possesses  any  means 
of  saving  us,  and  we  are  tempted  to  provide 
for  our  own  affairs  as  if  nothing  more  were 
to  be  expected  from  Him.  On  the  contrary, 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

His  providence,  as  He  unfolds  it,  ought  to  be 
regarded  by  us  as  an  impregnable  fortress. 
Let  us  labor,  then,  to  learn  the  full  import  of 
the  expression,  that  our  bodies  are  in  the 
hands  of  Him  who  created  them.  For  this 
reason  He  has  sometimes  delivered  His  people 
in  a  miraculous  manner,  and  beyond  all 
human  expectation,  as  Shadrach,  Meshach, 
and  Abednego,  from  the  fiery  furnace,  Daniel 
from  the  den  of  lions;  Peter  from  Herod's 
prison,  where  he  was  locked,  chained,  and 
guarded  so  closely.  By  these  examples  He 
meant  to  testify  that  He  holds  our  enemies  in 
check,  altho  it  may  not  seem  so,  and  has  power 
to  withdraw  us  from  the  midst  of  death  when 
He  pleases.  Not  that  He  always  does  it ;  but  in 
reserving  authority  to  Himself  to  dispose  of 
us  for  life  and  for  death,  He  would  have  us 
to  feel  fully  assured  that  He  has  us  under  His 
charge ;  so  that  whatever  tyrants  attempt,  and 
with  whatever  fury  they  may  rush  against 
us,  it  belongs  to  Him  alone  to  order  our  life. 
If  He  permits  tyrants  to  slay  us,  it  is  not  be- 
cause our  life  is  not  dear  to  Him,  and  held  in 
a  hundred  times  greater  honor  than  it  deserves. 
Such  being  the  case,  having  declared  by  the 
mouth  of  David  (Psalm  cxvi.,  13),  that  the 
death  of  the  saints  is  precious  in  His  sight,  He 
says  also  by  the  mouth  of  Isaiah  (xxvi.,  21), 
that  the  earth  will  discover  the  blood  which 
seems  to  be  concealed.  Let  the  enemies  of  the 
gospel,  then,  be  as  prodigal  as  they  will  of  the 

230 


CALVIN 

blood  of  martyrs,  they  shall  have  to  render 
a  fearful  account  of  it  even  to  its  last  drop. 
In  the  present  day,  they  indulge  in  proud  de- 
rision while  consigning  believers  to  the  flames ; 
and  after  having  bathed  in  their  blood,  they 
are  intoxicated  by  it  to  such  a  degree  as  to 
count  all  the  murders  which  they  commit  mere 
festive  sport.  But  if  we  have  patience  to 
wait,  God  will  show  in  the  end  that  it  is  not 
in  vain  He  has  taxed  our  life  at  so  high  a 
value.  Meanwhile,  let  it  not  offend  us  that  it 
seems  to  confirm  the  gospel,  which  in  worth 
surpasses  heaven  and  earth. 

To  be  better  assured  that  God  does  not  leave 
us  as  it  were  forsaken  in  the  hands  of  tyrants, 
let  us  remember  the  declarations  of  Jesus 
Christ,  when  He  says  (Acts  ix.,  4)  that  He 
Himself  is  persecuted  in  His  members.  God 
had  indeed  said  before,  (Zech.  ii.,  8),  "He 
who  touches  you  touches  the  apple  of  mine 
eye. ' '  But  here  it  is  said  much  more  expressly, 
that  if  we  suffer  for  the  gospel,  it  is  as  much 
as  if  the  Son  of  God  were  suffering  in  person. 
Let  us  know,  therefore,  that  Jesus  Christ  must 
forget  Himself  before  He  can  cease  to  think 
of  us  when  we  are  in  prison,  or  in  danger  of 
death  for  His  cause ;  and  let  us  know  that  God 
will  take  to  heart  all  the  outrages  which  ty- 
rants commit  upon  us,  just  as  if  they  were 
committed  on  His  own  Son. 

Let  us  now  come  to  the  second  point  which 
God  declares  to  us  in  His  promise  for  our 

231 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

consolation.  It  is,  that  He  will  so  sustain  us 
by  the  energy  of  His  Spirit  that  our  enemies, 
do  what  they  may,  even  with  Satan  at  their 
head,  will  gain  no  advantage  over  us.  And 
we  see  how  He  displays  His  gifts  in  such  an 
emergency ;  for  the  invincible  constancy  which 
appears  in  the  martyrs  abundantly  and  beauti- 
fully demonstrates  that  God  works  in  them 
mightily.  In  persecution  there  are  two  things 
grievous  to  the  flesh,  the  vituperation  and  in- 
sult of  men,  and  the  tortures  which  the  body 
suffers.  Now,  God  promises  to  hold  out  His 
hand  to  us  so  effectually,  that  we  shall  over- 
come both  by  patience.  What  He  thus  tells 
us  He  confirms  by  fact.  Let  us  take  this 
buckler,  then,  to  ward  off  all  fears  by  which 
we  are  assailed,  and  let  us  not  confine  the 
working  of  the  Holy  Spirit  within  such  nar- 
row limits  as  to  suppose  that  He  will  not 
easily  defeat  all  the  cruelties  of  men. 

Of  this  we  have  had,  among  other  examples, 
one  which  is  particularly  memorable.  A 
young  man  who  once  lived  with  us  here,  hav- 
ing been  apprehended  in  the  town  of  Tournay, 
was  condemned  to  have  his  head  cut  off  if  he 
recanted,  and  to  be  burned  alive  if  he  contin- 
ued steadfast  to  his  purpose.  When  asked 
what  he  meant  to  do,  he  replied  simply,  "He 
who  will  give  me  grace  to  die  patiently  for 
His  name,  will  surely  give  me  grace  to  bear 
the  fire."  We  ought  to  take  this  expression 
not  as  that  of  a  mortal  man,  but  as  that  of 

232 


CALVIN 

the  Holy  Spirit,  to  assure  us  that  God  is  not 
iess  powerful  to  strengthen  us,  and  render 
us  victorious  over  tortures,  than  to  make  us 
submit  willingly  to  a  milder  death.  More- 
over, we  oftentimes  see  what  firmness  he  gives 
to  unhappy  malefactors  who  suffer  for  their 
crimes.  I  speak  not  of  the  hardened,  but  of 
those  who  derive  consolation  from  the  grace 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  His  means,  with  a 
peaceful  heart,  undergo  the  most  grievous 
punishment  which  can  be  inflicted.  One  beau- 
tiful instance  is  seen  in  the  thief  who  was  con- 
verted at  the  death  of  our  Lord.  Will  God, 
who  thus  powerfully  assists  poor  criminals 
when  enduring  the  punishment  of  their  mis- 
deeds, be  so  wanting  to  His  own  people,  while 
fighting  for  His  cause,  as  not  to  give  them  in- 
vincible courage? 

The  third  point  for  consideration  in  the 
promises  which  God  gives  His  martyrs  is,  the 
fruit  which  they  ought  to  hope  for  from  their 
sufferings,  and  in  the  end,  if  need  be,  from 
their  death.  Now,  this  fruit  is,  that  after 
having  glorified  His  Name — after  having  edi- 
fied the  Church  by  their  constancy — they  will 
be  gathered  together  with  the  Lord  Jesus  into 
His  immortal  glory.  But  as  we  have  above 
spoken  of  this  at  some  length,  it  is  enough 
here  to  recall  it  to  remembrance.  Let  believ- 
ers, then,  learn  to  lift  up  their  heads  towards 
the  crown  of  glory  and  immortality  to  which 
God  invites  them,  thus  they  may  not  feel  re- 

233 


THE   WORLD'S    GREAT   SERMONS 

luctant  to  quit  the  present  life  for  such  a 
recompense;  and,  to  feel  well  assured  of  this 
inestimable  blessing,  let  them  have  always 
before  their  eyes  the  conformity  which  they 
thus  have  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  beholding 
death  in  the  midst  of  life,  just  as  He,  by  the 
reproach  of  the  cross,  attained  to  the  glori- 
ous resurrection,  wherein  consists  all  our 
felicity,  joy,  and  triumph. 


END  OF  VOL.  I. 


234 


By  ARTHUR  T.  PIERSON,  D.D. 


"An  aid  and  inspiration  for  future  efforts  in 
the  tercice  of  God  and  man."— EPWOBTH  HZK- 
AIJ>,  Chicago. 

Forward  jt&  jt& 
Movements  qf  the 
L&»st  HaJf  Century 

The  social  and  religious  evolution 
of  the  last  half  century  considered 
with  a  view  to  future  progress. 

The  New  fork  Times  Saturday  Review:  "A 

service  to  thinkers  along  lines  of  pore  spirituality,  ap- 
plied Christianity,  and  social  evolution  has  been  done  by 
presenting  to  the  public  Dr.  Pierson's  '  Forward  Move- 
ments of  the  Last  Half  Century.'  No  romance  is  more 
fascinating  to  the  student  of  social  and  religious  life. 
The  reader  is  borne  along  by  the  writer's  enthusiasm  as 
down  the  current  of  a  swift  river.  The  intense  earnest- 
ness of  the  man  carries  the  weight  of  conviction  with  it. 
It  is  an  important  contribution  In  the  realm  of  practical 
and  applied  Christianity,  and  a  high  type  of  spirituality." 

The  Brooklyn  Times  :  "  To  the  cause  of  practical, 
progressive  religion,  it  will  come  as  a  welcome  and  help- 
ful contribution." 

The  Presbyterian,  Philadelphia:  ".  .  .  This  book 
has  a  fund  of  material  ready  at  hand  for  the  busy  pas- 
tor, or  theological  student,  or  Christian  worker." 

Jtaltimore  Methodist:  "One  will  find  in  thii 
volume  much  food  for  instruction  and  deep  study." 

(2mo,  Cloth,  439  pages.    Price,  SI.50 


{•>  WAGNALLS  COMPANY.  Pub'ri 

NEW  YORK  and  LONDON 


1  ENGLISH    CLASSICS    FOB    MOBS    THAN 


A  CENTUBY." 


Selections  from 


•    Joseph  Addison 

Introduction  by  C.  T.  Winchester,  Pro- 
fessor of  English  Literature  in  Wesleyan 
University.  (Companion  Volume  to  Oliver 
Goldsmith;  A  Selection  from  His  Works.) 


The  Lutheran  Observer  sayB ! 

The  London  Spectator  was  for  many  years  the  lead- 
ing literary  periodical  of  the  English-speakiug  world, 
and  the  writings  of  Addison  were  its  chief  attraction. 
These  have  been  English  classics  for  more  than  a  cen- 
tury; and  this  choice  selection  of  some  of  his  best 
essays  will  be  a  source  of  pleasure  and  instruction." 

The  Watchman,  Boston,  says: 

"We  welcome  every  reproduction  of  this  charming 
essayist,  who  to  thousands  of  readers  has  been  the 
delight  of  their  youth,  the  mentor  of  their  manhood, 
ana  the  solace  of  their  declining  years.  As  a  satirist, 
of  social  follies  and  foibles,  tie  is  still  without  a  rival. 
...  In  chiding  the  vices  of  his  time,  he  so  blended 
reproof  with  sportive  wit  that  the  very  objects  of  his 
censure  must  have  joined  in  the  laugh  which  he  pro- 
voked at  their  expense.  .  .  ." 


CONTENTS:  Introduction;  Mr.  Spectator  and  His 
Paper;  Society,  Fashions,  Minor  Morals;  Literary  and 
Critical  Topics;  Morals  and  Religion. 


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~SiSS!~$~i«S~S^^ 


?f 

'NO  HOME  LIBRARY  COMPLETE  WITHOUT  !< 


THIS  AUTHORS 


Selections  from 

Oliver  Goldsmith 

Introduction  Containing  a   Charming  i 
Sketch  of  Goldsmith's  Life,  by  Edward 
Everett  Hale.     (Companion  Volume  to 
"Joseph  Addison;  A  Selection  from  His 
Works.")  

The  Chicago  Times  says: 

"Oliver  Goldsmith's  mission  seems  to  have  been  fully 
accomplished  in  his  work — namely,  that  of  making 
life  more  pleasant  and  happy,  of  cheering  homes 
otherwise  sad,  or  making  long  hours  short,  or  lonely 
days  cheerful.  Oliver  Goldsmith  is  read  wherever 
men  read  English;  and,  where  he  is  read,  he  is  almost 
always  loved.  No  home  library  can  be  complete  with- 
out tbJfl  author." 

The  Philadelphia  Press  says: 
"  No  writer  in  the  English  language  has  been  loved 
more  londlv  than  Oliver  Goldsmith.  His  genius,  his 
foibles,  and  his  amusing  blunders  have  been  subjects 
which  the  best  minds  have  tenderly  recorded  and 
forgiven.  .  .  .  This  inviting  volume  includes  selection  a 
from  the  best  work,  poetical  and  prose,  that  Goldsmith 
accomplished. "  

MJLIK  CONTENTS  :  The  Traveler;  The  Deserted  Vil- 
lage; Retaliation;  Picturesof  Life;  The  Man  in  Black; 
Books  and  Authors ;   The  Eccentricities  of  Fashion; 
j  On  Literature  and  Taste;  On  Various  Matters;   Ex- 
tracts from  the  Life  of  Richard  Nash,  Esq.;  Etc. 

tamo,  Cloth,  387  pp.     With  Portrait.     Price, 
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...  LIFE  OF... 

Gen.  Clinton  B.  Fisk 

By  PROF.  A.  A.  HOPKINS, 

Author  of  "  Wealth,  and  Waste,"  "Sinner  and  Saint," 
"His  Prison  Ears,"  "Our  Sabbath  Evening,"  etc. 

The  life  of  a  man  of  national  repute.  His 
remarkable  career  from  boyhood,  through 
his  business  and  military  life,  to  his  nomi- 
nation for  Prohibition  President  of  the 
United  States  in  1888,  and  his  death  two 
years  later. 

"  A  wholesomely  stimulating  and  pleasant  book." — 
Daily  Graphic. 

"Highly  commendable  for  lucidity  and  vigor."— 
The  Star,  New  York. 

"  Of  permanent  and  standard  value  to  the  American 
people." — Christian  at  Work. 

"  It  should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  Prohibitionist." 
—The  Prohibitionist,  Madison,  Wit. 

"An  interesting  and  instructive  book  for  old  and 
young." —  Christian  Advocate,  Nashville. 

"  One  who  begins  the  work  cannot  fail  to  finish  it, 
for  every  page  is  worth  reading."— Christian  Intelli- 
gencer, New  York. 

"Prof.  Hopkins  is  an  easy,  graceful  writer,  and 
this  book  ia  written  in  his  best  style." — N.  W.  Pro- 
hibitionist, Minneapolis,  Minn. 

"In  this  handsomely  executed  biography  Prof. 
Hopkins  has  acquitted  himself  with  great  credit.  .  .  . 
This  book  is  worthy  of  the  widest  circulation." — 
Advance,  Chicago. 

"The  book  is  unusually  well  written,  and  the  author 
exhibits  rare  tact  in  choosing  scenes  and  incidents 
interesting  to  all  classes  of  readers.  It  is  an  unusually 
good  booK  to  give  to  boys.  The  first  chapters  are 
sure  to  be  an  inspiration  to  any  lad  who  is  working 
against  difficulties."— The  Golden  Rule,  Boston. 


12mo,  Cloth,  320  pp.    -    -    -    Price,  $1.00. 

FUNK  &  WAGNALLS   COMPANY,  Publishers, 
NEW  YORK  and  LONDON 


The  Port  Erprrit,  Rochester,  N.  T.,  »ayg  : 
"  This  is  a  charming  volume.  .  .  .  Issues  of  national 
import  are  here  discussed  incidental  to  Mr.  Douglass' 
personnel,  which  are  far-reaching  and  whose  trend 
will  be  part  of  the  twentieth  century  interest*  for 
the  world." 


Frederick   Douglass 

THE  COLORED  ORATOR 
By  FREDERIC  MAY  HOLLAND. 

Revised   Edition,  Brought  Down  to   date  of  Mr. 
Douglass1  Death ;  New  Portrait,  etc. 


utno,  Cloth,  431  pp.    Price,  $1.50.     Post-free. 


"A  readable  biography  of  Mr.  Douglass."— New 
R|    York  Herald. 

"Of  great  value  and  intense"  interest.11 —  The 
Prest,  New  York. 

"The  book  Is  extremely  and  strangly  interesting ; 
with  it  once  in  hand,  one  will  continue  for  hours  when 
he  ought  to  be  sleeping." — GoldenRule,  Boston. 

Can  rest  contented :  "With  the  scrupulous  justice 
done  me  in  the  biography  of  myself  lately  written  by 
Mr.  Frederic  May  Holland,  of  Concord,  Massachusetts, 
I  can  easily  rest  contented.  "—Frederic!*  Douglass. 

"The  story  illustrates  at  once  the  glory  and 
shame  of  the  country,  and  it  shows  against  what  diffi- 
culties, in  the  teeth  of  what  formidable  resistance,  the 
advance  of  civilization  has  to  be  made."— New  York 
Tribune. 


FUNK  &.  WA6NALLS  COMPANY,  Publishers, 

NEW  YORK  and  LONDON 


NEW  WORD  POSSIBILITIES  DISCLOSED 

"There  is  no  book  yet  offered  which  is  its  equal 
in  imparting  a  mastery  of  words." — Fres. 
Cochran,  Brooklyn  Polytechnic  Institute. 

ENGLISH  SYNONYMS, 

ANTONYMS, 

AND  PREPOSITIONS. 

By  JAMES  C.  FERNALD, 

Editor  Students'"  Standard  Dictionary ;  Editor  Syno- 
nyms, Antonyms,  and  Prepositions  in  the 
Standard  Dictionary. 


More  than  7,500  Classified  and  Discrim- 
inated Synonyms.  Nearly  4,000  Class- 
ified Antonyms.  Correct  Use  of  Prepo- 
sitions Clearly  Shown  by  Illustrative 
Examples.  Hints  and  Helps  on  the 
Accurate  Use  of  Words. 

INDISPENSABLE  TO  STUDENTS  AND  WRITERS. 

A  Guide  to  New  Word  Treasures. 

Pres.  Cochran,  Brooklyn  Polytechnic  Institute  : 
"This  book  will  do  more  to  secure  rhetorical  perspi- 
cuity, propriety,  and  precision  of  expression  than  any 
other  text-book  of  higher  English  yet  produced" 

First  Satisfactory  Attempt. 

The  Brooklyn  Citizen:  "It  is,  indeed,  the 
first  satisfactory  attempt  in  its  field." 

Superior  to  all  Other  Works. 

Northern  Christian  Advocate:  "Superior 
to  any  other  treatise  on  the  same  theme,  and  must  be 
regarded  as  indispensable  to  the  ready-reference  libraries 
of  educators  and  writers." 


12mo,    574  pp.,    Heavy    Cloth    Binding, 
Price,  $1.6O,  net. 

FUNK   &  WAGNALLS  COMPANY,  Pubs.,  New  York 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


SEP  25 


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